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}U^ 


OF   THE 

Thoologieal    Seminary, 

r'lUNCETON.  N  J. 

fn     BR  1725  .P73  1855 

Pratt,  Josiah  M.  A. ,  fl 
•"''   1850. 
,1^     Memoir  of  the  Rev.  Josiah 


MEMOIR 


REV.  JOSIAH  PEATT,  B.D., 

LA.TK   VICAR   OF  ST.   STEPQEN'S,   COLEMAN  STUBET, 
AND  FOR  TWENTY-OXE  YEARS  SECRETARY  OF  THE  CHURCH  MISSIOXARY  SdCUTY. 


BY  HIS  SONS^ 

THE    REV.    JOSIAH    PRATT,    M.A., 
AND  y 

THE    REV.  JOHN  HENRY  PRATT,   M.A 


NEW    YORK: 

ROBERT    CARTER    &    BROTHERS, 
285  Broadway. 

1855. 


PREFACE. 


The  Editors,  in  publishing  the  following  Memoir  of 
their  beloved  and  revered  father,  beg  to  state  some 
particulars  explanatory  of  the  circumstances  under 
which  it  makes  its  appearance. 

They  have  been  led  by  something  more  than  filial 
partiality  to  believe,  that  a  record  of  his  chief  prin- 
ciples and  actions  would  be  acceptable  at  the  present 
time.  His  name  had  been  honourably  known  to  the 
Christian  World  for  half  a  century,  in  connection  with 
the  great  revival  of  the  INIissionary  Spirit  in  our 
Church  and  country,  which  so  happily  distinguished 
the  period  in  which  he  lived :  and  many,  who  behold 
the  results,  but  are  not  so  well  acquainted  with  the 
circumstances  which  gave  them  birth,  expressed  a 
desire  to  see  a  Memoir  of  one,  who  took  so  active  a  part 
in  originating  some  of  the  principal  Religious  Institu- 
tions of  our  day. 

Some  difRculties,  however,  presented  themselves. 
Mr.  Pratt  left  no  Diary  behind  him,  and  very  few 
papers  exhibiting  his  sentiments  on  particular  topics, 
or  illustrative  of  his  Christian  experience.  One  of 
the  few  memoranda  which  have  been  discovered 
expressly  states  :  "  I  occasionally  kept  records  of  the 


vi  I'UEl-ACE. 

workings  of  my  iiiiiid,  hut  1  have  destroyed  them  all." 
His  private  history,  like  that  of  most  Clergymen,  was 
not  marked  hy  any  very  extraordinary  incidents;  and 
the  coeval  eye-witnesses  of  his  public  career  had  most 
of  them  entered  the  world  of  spirits  before  him:  and 
though  Advertisements  have  been  issued,  for  informa- 
tion and  correspondence,  they  have  yielded  but  little. 

Meanwhile,  the  return  (jf  the  younger  son  from 
India,  in  1845-6,  allowed  him  opportunity  and  leisure 
for  examining  the  Archives  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society.  The  voluminous  correspondence  contained 
in  those  Archives  furnished  a  clue  to  Mr.  Pratt's 
course  in  connection  with  the  Missionary  cause;  and 
at  the  same  time  afforded  much  insight  into  his  views 
and  feelings  on  many  other  interesting  topics.  From 
these  beginnings  the  work  has  gradually  grown  ;  and 
several  judicious  friends,  including  the  Bishop  of 
Calcutta,  having  seen  the  MS.,  strongly  urged  its 
liui)licati()ii. 

The  foregoing  statement  will  prepare  the  reader  to 
expect,  that  Missionary  details  will  form  a  promi- 
nent feature  of  the  ensuing  pages.  This  will  be  found 
to  be  the  case ;  and  whatever  interest  the  Volume 
may  jjossess  in  other  respects,  the  account  here  given 
of  the  rise  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  of 
its  first  twenty-five  years,  will  (it  is  hoped)  be  specially 
accejjtable  at  a  moment,  when  the  Jubilee  Trumpet 
«)f  that  Society  is  calling  its  members  to  reflect  on 
the  ])ast  and  take  courage  for  the  future.  May  this 
Publii.itioii  he  an  hoiiouicd  instrument  of  deepening 
and   iMTpeluating  that   increased  feeling  of  interest  in 


PREFACE.  vii 

Missions,  which  this  Jubilee  Commemoration  has  so 
extensively  aroused! 

One  difficulty,  however,  attending  this  portion  of 
their  labours  the  Editors  have  felt  strongly ;  viz.  lest 
they  should  seem  to  be  claiming  for  one  individual  a 
distinction,  which  others  were  entitled  to  share  with 
him.  Many  time-honoured  names  will  occur  to  every 
reader,  as  having  been  associated  with  Mr.  Pratt  both 
in  counsel  and  labour,  on  Committees  and  in  journeys, 
in  the  pulpit  and  on  the  platform.  Mr.  Pratt,  however, 
from  his  official  position,  took  such  a  principal  share 
in  those  early  operations  of  the  Society,  as  will  justify 
(it  is  believed)  the  representations  here  made :  con- 
temporary testimonies  are  (as  far  as  possible)  quoted : 
some  of  his  coadjutors  are  named,  and  others  are 
known  through  their  respective  biographers.  The 
Editors,  for  various  reasons,  felt  bound  to  submit  this 
part  of  their  work  to  the  officers  of  the  Society  ;  and 
their  best  thanks  are  due  to  the  Rev.  William  Jowett 
for  his  kind  assistance,  especially  in  the  Chapter 
on  the  Mediterranean  Mission  ;  and  to  the  Rev.  Henry 
Venn,  Honorary  Clerical  Secretary,  for  his  valuable 
suggestions. 

Beside  the  Missionary  subject,  there  is  another 
point,  in  regard  to  which  it  is  hoped  that  the  present 
Volume  may  prove  useful.  It  was  to  be  expected, 
that  the  success  vouchsafed  to  the  efforts  of  ]\Ir.  Pratt 
and  his  coadjutors  to  extend  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
and  to  promote  scriptural  and  vital  religion  in  the 
world,  would  awaken  the  jealousy  and  call  forth  the 
counter  efforts  of  the  Prince  of  Darkness.     Mr.  Pratt 


,iH  I-HKIACK. 

lived  to  see  that  jealousy  in  active  operation,  both  at 
home  and  abroad :  but  nothing  grieved  and  alarmed 
him  so  nuich  as  the  rise  of  a  Party  in  the  bosom  of 
our  own  Protestant  Church,  characterized  by  an  undue 
exaltation  of  Tradition,  Sacraments,  and  Externals, 
together  with  a  depreciation  and  corruption  of  the 
vital  principles  of  the  Gospel.  These  things  cast 
a  gloom  over  his  spirit  for  several  of  the  later  years 
of  his  life,  and  called  forth  his  most  earnest  protests 
and  solemn  warnings  ;— all  of  which  carry  the  greater 
weight,  from  their  being  the  fruit  of  well-digested 
knowledge  and  ripe  experience.  Some  of  them  are 
recorded  in  the  following  pages;  and  it  is  hoped 
that  they  will  not  be  altogether  lost  on  the  present 
generation. 

Many  other  matters  are  introduced  into  the  Volume, 
which  (it  is  believed)  will  interest  his  parishioners 
and  j)ersonal  friends,  and  call  up  numerous  valuable 
associations  with  by-gone  days ;  though,  in  the  selec- 
tion of  thenr,  the  profit  of  the  general  reader  has  not 
been  lost  sight  of. 

M'ith  these  observations,  the  Editors  commend  the 
Publication  to  the  candour  and  consideration  of  those 
who  may  honour  it  with  their  perusal ;  humbly  im- 
ploring the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  to  render  the 
testimony  and  example  of  His  servant,  here  but  inade- 
tjuatcly  exhibited,  subservient  to  those  high  and  holy 
interests  which  lay  nearest  his  heart;  and  to  the 
advancement  of  wiiicji  his  best  ))()wers,  during  a  long 
life,  were  unceasingly  devoted. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

1768—1802. 

Mr.  Pratt's  Birth — Character  of  his  Father — Serious  Illness 
in  Childhood — His  early  Life,  and  first  Religious  Impres- 
sions— He  enters  the  University  of  Oxford — Is  Ordained 
— Removes  to  London — Becomes  Curate  to  Mr.  Cecil — 
The  "  Eclectic  Society" — Commencement  of  the  "  Christian 
Observer" p- 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

1799—1804. 
Origin  and  Commencement  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
— Mr.  Pratt  succeeds  the  Rev.  Thomas  Scott  as  Secretary 
— A  Mission  to  West  Africa  contemplated,  and  the  Services 
of  some  Berlin  Students  engaged — Correspondence  with  the 
Principal  of  the  Missionary  Institution  at  Berlin — Dismissal 
of  two  Missionaries  to  their  Stations— Institution  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society — Mr.  Pratt  appointed 
Secretary — He  effects  a  Reorganization  of  the  Committee 
— Resigns  the  Office  of  Secretary,  and  is  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  John  Owen — Mr.  Pratt  a  firm  Friend  and  Advocate 
of  the  Society  to  the  end  of  his  Life  -         -         -         -     12 

CHAPTER  III. 

1804—1812. 
The  Susoo  Country  selected  for  the  Commencement  of  Mis- 
sionary Enterprise — Lutheran  Labourers  employed — The 
Two  first  Missionaries  arrive — Three  more  embark  — 
Various  Trials  and  Difficulties — Misconduct  of  one  of  the 
Missionaries— Letters  from  Mr.  Pratt  on  this  painful  occa- 
sion— Two  Settlements  commenced — Death  of  one  of  the 
Missionaries— A  Third  Settlement  established  —  Schools 
formed — Deaths  of  Missionaries 3'*, 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
1804—1812. 
(lianfie  of  Mr.  Piatl's  Clerical  Occupations — His  A])point- 
uierit  to  8ir  George  Wlider's  Cliapcl — Notices  of  Sir  T.  F. 
Buxton  and  Mr.  Hoare — Mr.  Pratt's  Intercourse  with 
Ilrnrv  Martyn— His  Publication  of  the  Works  of  Bishops 
Hall  and  Hopkins — His  Unsuccessful  Attempt  to  publish 
a  Polyglott  Bible — Letter  of  Henry  Martyn— Mr.  Cecil's 
^^'orks — Mr.  Pratt's  Thoughts  in  Retirement    -         -         -     48 

CHAPTER  V. 

1813— ISIG. 

Renewal  of  the  East-India  Company's  Charter — Efforts  to 
gain  free  access  for  Missionaries  to  India,  and  to  esta- 
blish an  Episcopate — Exertions  of  Dr.  Buchanan  and  Mr. 
Pratt — Comniencenient  of  "  The  Missionary  Register" — 
The  Subject  of  the  East-India  Charter  brought  before  Par- 
liament, and  the  Efforts  of  the  Friends  of  Missions  crowned 
with  Success — The  Mi^^sionary  Cause  receives  a  new  Im- 
pulse— Associations  are  organized — Mr.  Pratt  (lavcls  for 
the  Society — He  opens  friendly  communication  with  other 
Mis>ionary  Societies  .......     Q[) 

CHAPTER  VL 

1S13— 1817. 

Conunencement    of  the   India    Mission — Abdool    Meeseeh 

Two  English  and  Two  Lutheran  Clergymen  are  sent  out  by 
the  Society — Correspondence  of  Mr.  Pratt  with  Mr.  Simeon 
-  AppointuK-nt  of  the  first  Bishop  of  Calcutta— Questions 
Willi  regard  to  the  I'^.xtcnt  of  the  Bishop's  Authority — He 
considers  himself  unauthorized  to  ordain  Native  Converts 
or  to  license  Mis-ionaries  -  Abdool  Messeeh  and  Mr. 
Howlcy  receive  Lutheran  Ordination — Mr.  Corrie's  Visit 
to  England— Seven  more  English  Clergymen  are  sent  out 
Letters  of  Mr.  Pratt  t<.  the  Mis-ionuries  -  -  -     81) 


CON  TENTS.  xi 

CHAPTER  VII. 

1813—1817. 
Difficulties  of  the  West-Africa  Mission — Directions  to  enter 
on  a  systematic  Course  of  Preaching — The  Slave-Trade — 
Return  of  the  Missionary  who  had  been  removed  from  the 
Society  in  Africa  —  Letters  of  Mr.  Pratt  under  various 
painful  circumstances — The  Slave-Trade  is  at  length  over- 
ruled to  be  an  indirect  Instrument  of  Success — Mr.  Bicker- 
stetli's  Visit  to  Africa — More  Deaths — Mr.  Johnson  sent 
out  with  tliree  other  Schoolmasters  —  Abandonment  of 
Bashia  and  Canoft'ee — Proposal  for  a  Church  Missionary 
Ship -  lOG 

CHAPTER  VIII, 

1809—1817. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Marsden  visits  England — Suggests  a  Mis- 
sion to  New  Zealand — Returns  with  some  Settlers — Dua- 
terra — A  Schoolmaster  and  his  Wife  sent  out — All  Efforts 
for  a  long  time  unavailing — At  length  Mr.  Marsden  visits 
New  Zealand,  and  the  first  Church  Missionary  Settlement 
is  planted  there — Death  of  Duaterra — Mowhee  visits  Eng- 
land— Death  of  Mowhee  .---..  130 

CHAPTER  IX. 

1815—1818. 

A  large  number  of  Candidates  offer  themselves  for  Missionary 
Work — Mr.  Pratt's  matured  Views  on  the  Qualifications 
of  a  Missionary — The  Rev.  Thomas  Scott  relinquishes  the 
Education  of  Candidates — The  Basle  Institution— Corre- 
spondence with  the  Rev.  Theophilus  Blumhardt — The  In- 
stitution at  Islington  founded    ------  139 

CHAPTER  X. 

1817—1821. 
The  Church   Missionary  Society  is  attacked    by  the  Aich- 
deacon  of  Bath — Defence  bv  the  Rev.  Daniel   Wilson — 


sii  to  N  TENTS. 

Great  Ailvantaycs  result— A  King's  Letter  in  behalf  of  the 
Society  for  Propaiialing  the  Gospel— Mr.  Pratt  publishes 
a  NNork  intitulcil  "  l^opaganda"— The  New  Impulse  in 
behalf  of  Missions  is  communicated  to  America — Corre- 
spondence between  Bishops  Griswold  and  White  and  Mr. 
Pratt — The  American  Episcopal  Cluirch  establishes  a 
Missionary  Society — Mr.  Pratt  communicates  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Missions  with  other  Christian  Bodies  in  the  United 
States -         -         -         -  150 

CHAPTER  XI. 

1811— 1S30. 

Ori'T^in  of  the  Mediterranean  Mission — Mr.  Mair  and  ]3r. 
Naudi — Proposal  to  send  Literary  Representatives — The 
Rev.  William  Jowett  devotes  himself  to  the  work — Cor- 
responds with  Dr.  Buchanan — Receives  his  Final  Instruc- 
tions from  Mr.  Pratt — Proceeds  to  Malta — Translation  of 
the  Holy  Scrijitures  into  a  Native  Language  of  Abyssinia 
— Tlie  Rev.  James  Connor  goes  out  as  a  Second  Literary 
Representative  —  Mr.  Jowett  returns  home  —  Publishes 
"Christian  Researches  in  the  Mediterranean"  —  Returns 
again  to  Malta — Publishes  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  in  Mal- 
tese— Returns  to  Malta  for  the  third  and  last  time — Re- 
marks on  the  Mediterranean  Mission         -         -         -         -  109 

CHAPTER  XIL 

1818—1824. 

Progress  of  the  West-Africa  Mission — Dreadful  Sickness  and 

Mortality    among    the    Missionaries  —  Success    at    length 

vouchsafed-  Mr.  Johnson's  Labours  abundantly  blessed — 

More  Missionaries  sent  out  to  India — The  Syrian  Church 

Missionaries  sent  with  a  view  to  its  Revival— Cheering 
Prospects  in  the  South  lA'  India — Agra — Chunar — Benares 

Burdwan  Krisiinaghur  reinale  Education — Death  of 
Bishop  Middleton,  and  Api)ointment  of  Bishoj)  Ileber — 
Difliculties  in  the  New-Zealand  Mission — Correspondence 
with  Missionaries— Mr.  Pratt  resigns  the  Secretaiyship      -   190 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

1811—1824. 

Mr,  Pratt's  Ministry  during  this  pei-iod — Withdraws  from 
the  Eclectic  Society — Accidental  Death  of  an  Aged  Mem- 
ber of  his  Congregations — The  Honest  Waterman — Visit  of 
Bishop  Chase  to  England— Assistance  afforded  to  him  by 
Mr.  Pratt  in  his  Appeal  to  the  British  Public   -         -         -  228 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

1802—1823. 

Mr.  Pratt  in  his  Domestic  Relationships,  and  his  Private  and 
Social  Habits — Letters  to  his  Daughters,  and  to  his  eldest 
Son  at  Cambridge   --------  241 

CHAPTER  XV. 

1823—1831. 

Mr.  Pratt's  Election  to  the  Vicarage  of  St.  Stephen's,  Cole- 
man Street — His  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson — His 
Entrance  on  Pastoral  Labours  —  Marriage  of  his  eldest 
Daughter— Severe  Attack  of  Inflammation  in  his  Eye — 
Resignation  of  his  Lectureship  at  St.  Mary  Woolnoth's — 
Visit  to  Ramsgate  —  Attempt  to  improve  a  Melancholy 
Event  which  happened  at  that  place  .         .         .         .  201 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

1829—1834. 

The  State  of  Public  Affairs — Dissensions  in  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society — Mr.  Pratt's  Views  on  the  matter 
in  debate— Tiie  Cholera— The  Fast  Da} — The  Reform  Bill 
— Reforms  in  the  Church — The  Christian-Influence  Society 
—  The  Dissenters — Rise  of  Tractarianism  —  The  Rev. 
Daniel  Wilson  appointed  Bishop  of  Calcutta  —  City-of- 
London  School — Letters  of  Advice  and  of  Sympathy  with 
afflicted  Friends       -         -  -----  279 


xiT  CONTENTS. 

(II  \ri  i:i{  \\  II. 
is3.>.  isaf). 

Mr.  Pratt  (Iccliiics  iircaclunn;  the  Anniversary  Church  JNIis- 
sionary  Sermon — His  Sermon  at  the  Consecration  of  Bisliop 
Corrie — Importance  of  preserving  the  Purity  of  Truth — 
Peculiarities  of  Missions  connected  with  an  Episcopal 
Church  —  Nce<l  of  a  Revision  of  Ecclesiastical  Relations — 
luiportaiicc  of  a  Native  Ministry  —  Schools  —  Promising 
S|>here  of  Lahour  in  the  Eastern  Empire-  Death  of  Bishop 
Corrie,  and  of  Mr.  Simeon — Advice  to  liis  Son  at  College — 
Importance  of  Right  Motives  for  entering  the  Ministry  and 
Preparation  for  its  Sacred  Duties — Bishop  Chase's  second 
Visit  to  I'2ngland— Church  Pastoral-Aid  Society  founded    -  311 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

1838—1844. 
"  The  Christian  Year" — Errors  of  the  Tractarian  School — 
The  "  Christian  Observer"  exposes  them  —  Mr.  Pratt 
preaches  on  the  subject  at  St.  Paul's — Ministerial  Changes, 
with  the  Results — Alleviating  and  Encouraging  Circum- 
stances— Tractarianism  more  developed,  and  Works  written 
in  answer  to  it — Krishnatrhur — The  Evangelical  Alliance 
— Secession  from  the  Scotch  Church — The  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  continues  stedfast  to  its  Principles — The  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  and  the  Bishop  of  London  join  the 
Society  ---------  337 

(  IIAI'TKK  XIX. 
1839— 1R4  4. 
Mr.  Pratt's  Pastoral  Anxieties — He  reliufpiishes  the  "  Mis- 
sionary Register"  -His  Record  of  Pastoral  Visits — Letters 
of  Admonition  and  Condolence  Mr.  Pratt  in  Ins  Family — 
I)c[)arture  of  his  second  Son  to  India  and  of  his  fourth 
Daughter  to  New  Zealand  His  Family  visited  by  Sick- 
ness and  liereavement  Letter  of  Consolation  to  his  eldest 
Daughter — His  advancing  Age — Deaths  of  his  Sisters — 
Decline  of  his  own  Health  and  Strength    -  -  .  -  309 


CONTENTS.  XV 

CHAPTER  XX. 

1841. 
Mr.  Pratt's  last  Illness  and  Death        .         -         -         -         -  410 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Testimonies,  and  Views  of  Mr.  Pratt's  Character  -         -         -  440 


APPENDIX  I. 

On  the  Origination  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society    -         -  460 

APPENDIX   II. 

Mr.  Pratt's    Dedicatory  Prayei-,   at   laying   the    Foundation 
Stone  of  the  Institution  at  Islington  ....  473 

APPENDIX   III. 

Letters  to  Mr.  Pratt  from  tlie  American  Bishops  Griswold 
and  White      ---------  477 

APPENDIX  IV. 

Obituary  of  Mrs.  Char.lotte  Pratt,  Mr.  Pratt's  Sister      -         -  481 

APPENDIX  V. 

View  of  Mr.  Pratt's  Character  as  a  Preacher  of  the  Word     -  487 


ERRATA. 

At  page  139,  in  the  Contents  of  Chapter  IX.,  for  ".I.  Blumhardt"  rmd 
"  T.  Blumhardt." 

At  page  309,  in  the  Contents  of  Chapter  XIX.,  for  "  thinl  daughter"  read 
"  fourth  daugliter." 

At  page  40i, /or  "  IS.3i  "  read  "  1831." 


MEMOIR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

1768—1802. 

CHARACTER    OF    MR.  PRATx's    FATHER SERIOUS  ILLNESS  IN  CHILDHOOn 

EARLY  LIFE,  AND  FIRST  RELIGIOUS  IMPRESSIONS — ENTERS  THE  UNIVER- 
SITY OF  OXFORD — IS  ORDAINED REMOVES    TO    LONDON — IS    CURATE    TO 

MR.  CECIL — THE  ECLECTIC  SOCIETY — THE  "  CHRISTIAN  OBSERVER." 

JosiAH  Pratt,  the  subject  of  the  ensuing  Memoir, 
was  born  at  Birmingham,  Dec.  21st,  1768.  He  was 
one  of  a  numerous  family,  and  was  privileged  in 
having  exemplary  parents,  who  diligently  brought  up 
their  children  in  the  "  nurture  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord." 

His  Father  was  a  person  of  simple  and  most  devoted 
piety,  and  by  his  uniform  walk  with  God,  and  his 
well-regulated  family  habits,  won  and  retained  to  the 
end  the  love  and  veneration  of  his  children.  So 
upright  and  holy  was  the  demeanour  of  this  good 
man,  that  it  drew  from  the  lips  of  the  late  Rev. 
Richard  Cecil — no  mean  judge  of  true  excellence — 
the  distinguished  commendation,  that  he  knew  no 
person  who  so  frequently  called  to  his  mind  the  cha- 

B 


2  MR.  PRATT'S  FATHER.  [Chav.  I. 

racter  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Churcli  of  Enghmd,  the  Church  of  his  fathers,  and 
attended  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  John  Ililand  at 
St.  Mary's  Chapel,  and  subsequently  that  of  his  suc- 
cessor, the  Rev.  Edward  Burn.  The  Chapel  was 
connected  witli  a  large  and  crowded  population. 
]\Ir.  R-iland,  on  his  removal  from  Huddersfield  to  this 
new  charge,  obtained  the  aid  of  several  pious  laymen 
to  assist  him  in  his  pastoral  labours.  They  each 
undertook  to  visit  a  few  families,  over  whom  they 
exercised  a  Christian  influence  and  care,  under  the 
direction  of  their  Minister.  The  father  of  the  subject 
of  this  Memoir  w-as  one  of  the  most  valued  of  these 
fellow-helpers  in  the  Lord.* 


•  A  Sermon  was  preached  by  Mr.  Bum  at  St.  Mary's,  Biriningliani, 
on  the  12th  of  March,  1707,  upon  the  occasion  of  the  death  of  this  ex- 
cellent Cliristian.  The  following  extracts  will  give  a  further  view  of 
his  character  : — 

"  Few  men  had  a  larger  share  of  those  trials  which  arise  from  constitu- 
tional infirmity.  Seldom  through  the  course  of  a  life  nearly  lengthened 
out  to  the  age  of  man,  did  he  enjoy  health  without  some  considerable  alloy 
of  pain  and  languor.  But  it  was  in  this  way — and  blessed  be  God  he  well 
knew  it ! — his  Heavenly  Father  was  gradually  and  most  graciously  pre- 
paring him  for  Himself.  On  the  Thursday  morning  before  his  death  he 
said  to  two  of  his  children,  who  were  expressing  their  affectionate  solici- 
tude ab(»ut  his  health,  'Oh!  how  earnestly  have  I  prayed  this  night  that 
my  release  might  Ije  signed  !  I  have  trod  many  a  weary  step,  l>ut  I  am 
drawing  near  my  journey's  end,  and  that's  a  comfort  to  a  traveller.'  On 
the  morning  of  his  dissolution,  and  as  he  ap])roached  nearer  to  his  rest, 
his  prospects  became  still  l)rij,'hter,  and  he  sjjake  of  his  decease  in  terms 
of  uncommon  animation  and  triumj)h.  Amongst  other  excellent  things 
he  said,  '  Now,  Lord,  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  for  mine 
eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation.  I  never  thought  that  my  death-bed  would 
l>e  so  happy.  Oh!  I  cannot  tell  half  what  I  feel!  Now  is  my  salvation 
nearer  than  when  I  first  believed:  yes,  it  is!  it  is!  Oh!  what  cause  for 
thankfulness  have  I  and  you  all !  but  God  forbid  that  I  should  have  any 

spiritual 


1709— 18()2.]  ILLNESS  IN  CHILDHOOD.  3 

JosiAH,  the  second  surviving  son,  received  his 
father's  name  at  his  baptism.  While  yet  an  infant,  lie 
was  attacked  with  a  severe  illness,  in  which  his  life 
was  despaired  of.  His  father,  in  the  bitterness  of  his 
sorrow,  walked  about  the  room  in  the  night  with  the 
child  in  his  arms  to  soothe  him  ;  and  as  he  com- 
mended his  soul  to  God,  the  last  verse  of  the  102d 
Psalm  was  powerfully  impressed  upon  his  mind — 
"  The  children  of  thy  servants  shall  continue,  and  their 
seed  shall  be  established  before  theeJ^  His  mind  rested 
upon  this  promise.  He  received  comfort  from  the 
hope  that  it  might  yet  please  God  to  restore  his  child, 
and  it  was  fulfilled,  not  only  in  that,  but  in  a  far  higher 


spiritual  pride,  for  I  am  a  poor  sinner  saved  freely  by  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  *,,**** 

"  To  one  of  his  daughters,  who  stood  weeping  at  his  bed,  and  inquiring 
how  he  was,  he  replied  earnestly,  '  Very  well :  my  poor  body  is  weak,  but 
what  a  happy  creature  shall  I  be  through  the  countless  ages  of  eternity !' 
^  *  *  *  *  * 

"  There  are  some  leading  ideas,  in  the  character  of  our  departed  friend, 
that  must  not  be  omitted.  In  his  example,  his  light  was  rather  clear  and 
steady  than  overwhelming  and  marvellous.  His  zeal  was  equally  removed 
from  the  inditFercnce  of  the  formalist  and  the  fierceness  of  the  bigot.  His 
(christian  affection  was  tempered  by  a  holy  and  jealous  watchfulness  over 
the  walk  of  his  brethren.  His  attainments  in  grace  were  rather  the  effect 
of  growth,  than  the  hasty  and  immature  productions  of  impulse.  His 
fruits  were  m  their  season ;  and  the  general  course  of  his  life  was  directed 
more  by  the  constant  presence  and  authority  of  truth  upon  the  mind,  than 
by  the  floating  uncertainties  of  various  opinion,  or  the  vehement  warmth 
of  particular  occasions:  it  was,  in  a  word,  the  '  path  of  the  just  which 
shineth  more  and  more  to  the  perfect  day.'  *****  "In  the 
case  of  our  departed  friend  every  thing  is  clear :  in  his  principles,  in  liis 
conversation,  and  in  his  end,  there  remains  nothing  perple-xed,  nothing  to 
be  made  out,  nor  any  thing  to  be  proved.  It  is  a  plain  unequivocal  in- 
stance of  the  power  of  Clmstianity,  whether  you  regard  that  as  a  principle 
of  knowledge,  a  rule  of  action,  or  a  strong  consolation  in  death." 

k2 


4  ENTERS  UPON  BUSINESS.  [Chai-.  I. 

sense,  by  Him  "who  is  al)le  to  do  exceeding  abun- 
dantly above  all  that  we  can  ask  or  think." 

Until  the  age  of  twelve  years,  Josiah  was  educated 
with  his  two  younger  brothers,  Isaac  and  Henry,  at 
Harr  School,  a  large  establishment  about  six  miles 
from  Birmingham.  His  father  then  introduced  him 
into  his  own  business  as  a  manufacturer;  in  which, 
from  his  natural  habits  of  industry  and  accuracy,  he 
might  be  expected  to  excel,  and  family  tradition  re- 
ports that  the  expectation  was  fully  realised.  Bat  at 
a  very  early  period  he  had  imbibed  a  strong  taste  for 
books,  and  his  mind  became  filled  with  an  ardent 
desire  for  the  acquisition  of  general  knowledge.  For 
several  years,  however,  he  kept  this  very  much  to 
himself,  procuring  and  laying  in  books  secretly,  and 
indulging  his  literary  propensity  only  in  leisure  hours, 
and  in  the  retirement  of  his  chamber.  He  imagined 
that  his  parents  might  think  it  unnecessary  for  him  to 
spend  so  much  time  and  money  in  pursuits  which 
would  not  turn  to  account  in  that  line  of  life  for  which 
he  was  intended.  After  remaining  several  years  with 
his  father,  he  was  placed  in  another  manufactory,  for 
the  purpose  of  acquiring  a  more  extensive  knowledge 
of  commercial  affairs. 

There  is  little  on  record  to  shew  what  w^ere  the 
operations  of  divine  grace  in  his  heart  during  his  early 
youth.  That  little,  however,  seems  to  indicate  that  it 
was  in  the  House  of  God  that  his  mind  was  most  sus- 
ceptible of  religious  im])ressions.  He  used,  in  later 
years,  to  refer,  with  lively  recollection,  to  the  solemn 
elFect  produced  one  day  uj)on  his  young  mind,  in  St. 


17f.9— 1802.]  RELIGIOUS  IMPRESSIONS.  5 

Mary's  Church,  by  the  earnest  manner  in  which  the 
Service,  and  especially  the  Venite  exultemus,  was  read 
by  the   Rev.  Charles  Simeon,  who  had  recently  en- 
tered the  ministry,  and  was  on  that  occasion  officia- 
ting for  Mr.  Burn.     And  it  appears  that  on  another 
occasion,  when  yet  a  boy,  his  attention  was  arrested 
by  the  petition  in  the  Liturgy,  "  Pitifully  behold  the 
sorrows  of  our  hearts."     He  was  wondering  what  sor- 
rows he  had  to  speak  of,  when  the  next  petition  fur- 
nished an  answer,  which  the  Holy  Spirit  taught  him 
to  apply,  "  Mercifully  forgive  the  sins  of  thy  people." 
He  was  not  brought,  however,  to  any  remarkable  or 
abiding  concern  for  his  soul  till  his  seventeenth  year. 
The  circumstance  which  led  to  this  change  is  memo- 
rable.    The  late  Rev.  Thomas  Robinson,  of  Leicester, 
ministered  in  the  pulpit  one  Sunday  for  Mr.  Riland. 
Any  one  who  had  ever  heard   Mr.  Robinson  might 
easily  conceive  the  solemnity  and  pathos  with  which 
he  would  deliver  the  words  "Let  us  pray,"  used  before 
sermon.     On  this  occasion  they  struck  upon  the  heart 
and  conscience  of  the  youthful  subject  of  this  Memoir 
with  such  power,  and  occupied  his  mind  so  entirely, 
that  he  had  no  recollection  of  any  thing  else  connected 
with  the  occasion,  not  even  the  subject  of  the  sermon. 
He  thought  what  a  solemn  act  prayer  was !   He  doubted 
whether  he  had  ever  prayed  in  his  life.     His  mind  was 
filled  with  awe  and   contrition  for  his  past  neglect. 
These,  and  many  other  considerations,  took  such  pos- 
session of  him,  that  his  religious  views   and  feelings 
might  be  said  to  have  assumed  a  definite  character 
from  that  period,  and  from   this   circumstance.     He 


6  DESIRE  TO  ENTER  THE  MINISTRY.  [Chap.  I. 

joined  the  Societies  which  Mr.  Riland  had  recom- 
niciuled  to  his  (lock  for  spiritual  edification  ;  in  his 
connection  with  these,  his  religious  character  became 
further  dcveloi)ed  ;  and  the  fund  of  information  and 
knowkd«,^e  which  he  had  already  laid  in  by  private 
reading  and  study,  found  scope  for  profitable  applica- 
tion. 

He  speedily  became   anxious  to  be  a  minister  of 
Christ  ;  a  desire  which  was  probably  much  promoted 
by  tlie  sympathies,  if  not  the  suggestions,  of  some  of 
his  companions,  who  bad  for  some   time  judged  that 
his  mind  was  under  preparation   for  higher  duties. 
His  chief  fear  as  to  the  accomplishment  of  such  a  wish 
arose  from  what  he  considered  to  be  his  father's  incli- 
nation and  future  plans.     His  eldest  brother,  Frede- 
rick, had  left  England  to  settle  in  Baltimore,  and  their 
father  was   naturally   looking  forward  to  having  his 
next  son — one  of  so  much  promise — associated  with 
him  in  his  own  engagements.     Under  these  apprehen- 
sions, he  made  it  a  subject  of  earnest  prayer  to  God, 
that  if  it  were  consistent  with  His  holy  will  that  he 
should  enter  "  the  sacred  ministry  of  His  Church,"  He 
would  incline  the  heart  of  his  father  to  favour  the  pro- 
])osal.     He  then,  in  a  respectful  way,  and  not  without 
some  fear  and  trembling,  disclosed  his  mind  to  his 
l)elovcd  ])arcnt.     But  so  far  was  he  from  discouraging 
him,  that  he  entered  at  once   most  kindly  into  his 
views,  and  rejoiced  in  thus  giving  up  a  son  to   the 
more  immediate  service  of  God.     The  friend  to  whom 
he  was  in  some  measure  bound  in  business,  with  the 
greatest  kindness  released  him,  expressing  a  sincere 


1769—1802]  MENTAL  CHARACTERISTICS.  7 

regard  for  him,  and  satisfaction  in  his  services.  The 
time  which  had  been  thus  occupied  was  by  no  means 
thrown  away.  He  was  then  acquiring  those  habits  of 
business,  and  that  practical  turn  of  mind,  which  so 
eminently  qualified  him  for  many  duties  to  which  he 
was  afterwards  called. 

It  was  a  distinguishing  feature  in  the  character  of 
several  of  the  eminent  men  of  his  day,  and  one  which 
was  of  peculiar  advantage  to  those  who  were  designed, 
in  the  providence  of  God,  to  take  the  lead  in  the  reli- 
gious movement  at  the  close  of  the  last  century,  that 
Christian  zeal  and  spiritual  knowledge  were  combined 
in  the  same  persons  with  active  habits  and  a  practical 
knowledge  of  secular  concerns.  Indeed,  the  fact  that 
men,  whose  first  line  of  life  and  education  appeared 
to  be  preparing  them  for  other  occupations,  should  be 
called  entirely  to  change  their  course,  and  devote 
themselves  to  the  ministry,  while  it  distinctly  shews 
us  that  God  was  designing  them  for  important  ser- 
vices, seems  also  to  imply  that  there  was  some  pecu- 
liar fitness  for  the  discharge  of  these  duties  in  their 
character  and  cast  of  mind.  An  earnest  zeal  for 
Christ's  glory  and  enlarged  views  of  His  blessed  Go- 
spel, together  with  an  extensive  knowledge  of  the 
world  and  its  affairs,  were  eminently  characteristic  of 
the  subject  of  this  Memoir. 

As  soon  as  the  above  determination  was  arrived  at, 
Mr.  Pratt's  father  engaged  a  tutor  to  prepare  him  for 
college  ;  and,  with  his  wonted  zeal  and  energy,  he 
was  often  at  his  tutor's  door  on  cold  winter  mornings 
before  he  was  out  of  bed,  losing  no  time  to  make  up 


g  CoMKS  TO  LONDON.  [Chap.  I. 

the  (liiiciencies  of  liis  classical  education.  He  entered 
at  St.  Kchmiiurs  Hall,  Oxford,  and  was  matriculated 
.huu'  22,178*).  At  the  University  he  had  the  advan- 
tage of  an  excellent  tutor  in  the  Rev.  Isaac  Crouch,  after- 
wards  Vicar  of  Narborough,  near  Leicester,  to  whom 
he  was  most  sincerely  attached,  and  with  whom,  to  the 
close  of  his  life,  he  enjoyed  an  intimate  friendship. 

That  he  maintained,  under  his  new  circumstances, 
his  former  character  for  regular  and  orderly  habits, 
may  be  shewn  upon  the  principle  of  the  adage,  that 
The  exception  proves  the  rule.  Upon  one,  and  only  one, 
occasion  he  omitted  to  attend  the  Chapel  Prayers. 
His  absence  was  so  marked  an  event,  that  when  the 
Service  was  over,  the  tutor  and  several  of  his  friends 
among  the  Undergraduates  adjourned  in  a  body  to 
his  rooms  to  learn  the  reason  of  his  absence,  fully 
expecting,  as  they  expressed  themselves,  to  find  him 
"  dead  or  dying." 

Having  completed  his  College  education,  he  was 
ordained  June  3,1792,  by  the  Bishop  of  Hereford,  to 
the  Curacy  of  Dowlcs  near  Bewdley,  a  small  living 
then  held  by  the  Rev.  William  Jesse,  of  West  Brom- 
wicli ;  and  he  remained  there  till  after  he  had  received 
Priests'  Orders.  Having  then,  in  the  autumn  of  1795, 
a  (ksiro  to  change  his  sphere  of  labour,  he  wrote  to 
the  Rev.  Richard  Cecil  in  London,  to  whom  he  was 
known  by  Mr. C.'s  visits  at  Birmingham,  inquiring  if  he 
knew  of  any  Curacy  in  or  near  London  that  would  suit 
l)iiii.  Mr.  Cecil  answered  him  in  the  following  laconic 
and  (juaint  style:  "  I  want  a  Curate  myself;  put  a  shirt 
m  your  ])0(kct,  and  come  and  see  whether  my  Curacy 


1769— 180L]  MR.  CECIL.  9 

will  suit  you."  Mr.  Pratt  immediately  accepted  the 
invitation,  and  was  more  than  willing  to  undertake  the 
post  under  a  man  whose  judgment  he  valued  so  liighly. 
His  inexperience  would  naturally  place  him  at  a  dis- 
advantage with  Mr.  Cecil's  refined  and  somewhat  fas- 
tidious congregation  at  St.  John's,  —  a  disadvantage 
which  he  often  painfully  felt.  But  Mr.  Cecil's  prompt 
discernment  of  character  enabled  him  to  encourage  his 
young  friend :  "  Never  mind,  Pratt ;  make  yourself 
useful,  and  a  time  will  come  when  you  tvill  be  ivanted." 

Though  very  dissimilar  from  Mr.  Cecil  in  his  own 
character,  he  was  fully  able  to  estimate  and  profit  by 
familiar  intercourse  with  a  man  in  whom  genius,  ori- 
ginality, and  practical  wisdom,  were  so  remarkably 
combined.  Some  of  the  treasures  which  he  thus  ac- 
quired were  afterwards  conmiitted  to  the  press  under 
the  title  of  "  Cecil's  Remains." 

The  two  classes  of  his  preparation  for  his  future 
W'ork, — the  habits  of  business  to  which  reference  has 
already  been  made,  and  his  intercourse  with  a  cha- 
racter like  Mr.  Cecil  at  this  early  and  susceptible 
period  of  his  life, — were  of  the  greatest  possible  mo- 
ment. From  the  first,  he  acquired  order,  application, 
perseverance,  and  the  talent  of  arrangement ;  the 
second  gave  him  an  insight  into  the  dangers  and 
errors  prevalent  in  the  religious  circles  of  London  at 
the  time.  Mr.  Cecil's  acute  observations,  penetrating 
and  discriminating  judgment,  wisdom,  boldness,  and 
courage  to  stand  alone,  assisted  to  form  the  sound 
and  sober  Minister. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  1797,  he  married  Elizabeth, 


10 


THE  ECLECTIC  SOCIETY.  [Chap.  I. 


eldest  (laugliter  of  Mr.  John  Jowett,  of  Newington, 
Surrey  ;  and  settled  at  No.  22  Doughty  Street,  Meck- 
lenburgh  Square,  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of 
St.  John's  Chapel.  He  here  received  several  pupils 
into  his  house,  some  of  whom  were  designed  for  the 
Ministry.  Among  these  was  the  present  Bishop  of 
Calcutta,  who  ever  continued  to  be  warmly  attached 
to  his  early  tutor,  and  paid  an  affectionate  tribute  to 
his  memory  in  a  charge  delivered  to  the  Clergy  of 
Cakutta  shortly  after  receiving  the  intelligence  of  his 
death. 

Mr.  Pratt's  removal  to  London  introduced  him  to 
the  acquaintance  of  many  good  and  eminent  men.  In 
the  year  1797,  he  became  a  member  of  the  Eclectic 
Society,  formed  by  a  few  of  the  London  Clergy  for 
religious  intercourse  and  improvement,  and  whose 
leading  object  was  the  investigation  of  religious  truth. 
Its  fust  meeting  was  held  Jan.  16, 1783,  at  the  Castle- 
and-Falcon,  Aldersgate  Street,  and  consisted  of  the  Rev. 
Jolin  Newton,  Rev.  Henry  Foster,  Rev.  Richard  Cecil, 
and  Eli  Rates,  Esq.  It  afterwards  consisted  of  twelve 
or  fourteen  members  resident  in  London,  and  as  many 
country  members,  or  occasional  visitors.  Its  meetings 
were  afterwards  held  once  a  fortnight  at  the  Vestry- 
Room  of  St.  John's  Chapel,  Bedford  Row,  and  it  com- 
prehended, according  to  its  original  design,  two  or 
three  Laymen  and  Non-Conformist  Ministers. 

His  Christian  and  brotherly  intercourse  with  the 
niciiibcrs  of  this  body  was  highly  conducive  to  the 
improvement  and  development  of  his  own  mind. 
Here  lie  rejoiced  in  the  society  of  some  of  the  worthies 


17(i9— 1802.]  THE  CHRISTIAN  OBSERVER.  U 

of  the  generation  before  him,  imbibed  their  spirit,  and 
profited  by  their  experience.  He  continued  to  be  a 
member  for  eighteen  years ;  and  became  one  of  the 
most  efficient  of  the  body.  We  find  him  as  early  as 
Feb.  4, 1799,  although  the  youngest  member  upon  the 
books,  proposing  for  the  consideration  of  the  Society 
the  following  question  :  "  How  far  may  a  Periodical 
Publication  be  made  subservient  to  the  interest  of 
Religion  ?" 

The  character  of  the  projected  publication,  upon 
which  Mr.  Pratt  invited  discussion,  may  be  gathered 
from  some  brief  notes  of  his  remarks,  which  were  taken 
by  the  Rev.  John  Venn  at  the  time,  and  have  been 
preserved  to  this  day.  The  objects  which  he  proposed 
were  "  to  correct  the  false  sentiments  of  the  religious 
world,  and  to  explain  the  principles  of  the  Church." 
This  part  of  the  design  was  to  be  effected  by  papers 
written  under  the  designation  of  "  Religious  Commu- 
nications." There  were  to  be  in  addition.  Articles, 
Miscellaneous  and  Literary  ;  Reviews  ;  a  Review^  of 
Reviews  ;  and  "  historical  events  of  the  month,  wdth  a 
particular  reference  to  Providence." 

The  original  plan  of  the  Christian  Observer,  as 
laid  out  in  the  Prospectus  published  in  the  first  Num- 
ber, is  the  exact  counterpart  of  this  sketch.  It  is 
therefore  an  inference  which  may  be  drawn  without 
much  difficulty,  that  Mr.  Pratt  was  the  projector,  as 
he  was  the  first  Editor,  of  this  Publication,  which  has 
so  long  stood  its  ground,  and,  amidst  the  abounding 
periodical  literature  of  the  present  day,  still  exercises 
such  a  wide  and  beneficial  influence  in  the  Church. 


CHAPTER  II. 

1799-1804. 

OIIIGIN  AND  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY — MR. 
PRATT  SICCKKUS  THE  REV.  THOMAS  SCOTT  AS  SECRETARY — A  MISSION 
TO  WEST  AFRICA  CONTEMPLATED,  AND  THE  SERVICES  OF  SOME  BERLIN 
STUDENTS  ENOAOED — CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  THE  PRINCIPAL  OF  THE 
MISSIONARY  INSTITUTION  AT  BERLIN — DISMISSAL    OF    TWO    MISSIONARIES 

THE  BRITISH  AND  FOREIGN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  IS  INSTITUTED MR.  PRATT 

APPOINTED     SECRETARY— EFFECTS     A     REORGANIZATION     OF    THE    COM- 

UITTEE RESIGNS  THE    OFFICE  OF    SECRETARY,    AND    IS   SUCCEEDED    BY 

THE    REV.  JOHN    OWEN— MR.  PRATT    A  FIRM    FRIEND  AND  ADVOCATE  OF 
THE  SOCIETY  TO  THE  END  OP  HIS  LIFE. 

Ik  T  by  far  the  most  important  result  of  the  delibera- 
tions of  the  members  of  the  Eclectic  Society,  was  the 
formation  of  a  great  design,  in  the  development  of 
which  Mr.  Pratt  soon  became  the  chief  agent.  It  will 
therefore  be  desirable  in  this  place  to  enter  briefly, 
yet  somewhat  circumstantially,  into  the  details  of  its 
origin  and  early  history. 

The  question  of  forming  a  Society  expressly  for 
Missionary  objects  in  connection  with  the  Church  of 
England  had  for  some  time  been  under  deliberation  ; 
and  the  subject  was  brought  before  the  Eclectic 
Society  on  the  8th  of  Feb.  1796,  by  the  Rev.  Charles 
Simeon.  The  majority  of  the  members,  though  fa- 
vourably disposed,  were  not  then  prepared  to  take  any 
immediate  steps  in  the  matter.  On  the  IStli  of  Feb. 
WX),  notice  was  given  that  the  subject  would  be  again 
brought  forward;  andonthelSthof  March  the  Rev.  John 
Viiiii,  Rector  of  Chipham,  opened  the  discussion  at  some 
ieiigtli,  and  ))r()))()sed  several  Resolutions  for  adoption. 


1799.]  MEETING  AT  THE  CASTLE-AND-FALCON.  13 

Some  objected  to  them.  The  following  record  has 
been  preserved,  among  Mr.  Venn's  Eclectic  notes,  of 
Mr.  Pratt's  remarks  upon  the  occasion  : — 

"  The  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt  advocated  the  adoption  of  the  Reso- 
lutions [drawn  up  and  presented  by  Mr.  Venn],  as  '  breathing  a 
quiet,  humble,  dependent  spirit.'  '  Let  us  regard  ourselves  as 
forming  the  Society.  Let  us  consider  to  vi^hom  it  would  be 
desirable  to  communicate  our  plans.  Let  us  not  proceed  to 
choose  a  Committee  till  we  have  a  larger  Meeting.  Let  some 
little  Address  be  drawn  up,  stating  our  designs,  and  how  we 
wish  to  act  in  following  the  leading  of  Providence.  It  should 
be  known  that  there  is  such  a  design. — Fix  upon  persons  to 
write  to. — Must  be  kept  in  evangelical  hands." 

The  result  of  this  Meeting  was  a  general  agree- 
ment that  a  Society  should  be  forthwith  formed,  and 
a  Prospectus  prepared,  and  the  entire  plan  laid  before 
the  chief  authorities  of  the  Church.  Accordingly,  on 
the  12th  of  April,  1799,  a  Meeting  was  held  at  the 
Castle-and-Falcon  Inn,  Aldersgate  Street,  and  the 
Society  was  instituted.  Mr.  Venn  was  in  the  Chair  ; 
and  sixteen  Clergymen  —  nine  of  them  members 
of  the  Eclectic — and  nine  Laymen,  composed  the 
Meeting.*    The  following  letter  was  then  forwarded  to 


*  As  we  ought  ever  to  cherish  the  memory  of  these  excellent  persons, 
their  names  are  here  subjoined : — 

Rev.  John  Venn,  in  the  Chair.     (Rector  of  Clapham,  Surrey.) 
Rev.WiLLi.vM  Jarvis  Abdy.  (Rec-      Rev.  Henry    Foster.      (Lecturer 

tor  of  St.  Jolin's,  Horsleydown.)  of  Christ  Church,  Spitalfields.) 

Rev.  Edward  CuTHBEKT.   (Minis-  }    Rev.  Thomas    Fky.      (Fellow   of 

ter  of  Long- A  ere  Chapel.)  '        Lincoln  College,  Oxford.) 

Rev.  John  Davies.     (Afterwards  |    Rev.  William  Goode.     (Rector  of 

of  Coventry.)  |        St.  Ann's,  Blackfriars.) 

Rev. 


14 


THE  ARCHBISHOP  ADDRESSED. 


[Chap.  H. 


llisClracc  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  a  similar 
one  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  as  Diocesan,  and  another 
to  the  Bishop  of  Durliani,  at  that  time  Chairman  of 
the  Conmiittce  for  Missions  in  the  Society  for  Promo- 
ting Christian  Knowledge : — 


Utv.  Wii, 1,1AM  Ali'ho.nsls  Gunn. 
(Curate  of  St.  Mary,  ^^'oolnoth.) 

Rfv.  I.  ^V.  MinnLKToN.  (Rother- 
hitho.) 

Kev.  John  Newton.  (Rector  of 
St.  Mary,  W'oolnoth.) 

Rev.  I.  W.  Pkers,  LL.D.  (Rec- 
tor of  Mcrton,  Surrey.) 

Rev.      RuilAIU)        POSTLETHWAITE. 

(Rector  of  St.  Roche,  Cornwall.) 
Rev.   JosiAH    Pratt.      (Assistant 
Minister   of  St.  John's   Cliapel, 
Bedford  Row.) 
Rev.  Thomas  Scott.      (The  Com- 
mentator.) 
Rev.  Tho.mas  Sheppard.     (After- 
noon   Lecturer    of    St.   Mary's, 
Stoke  Newington.) 


Rev.  Charles  William  Tekrot. 
(Haddington,  N.B.) 

Mr.  John  Bvcon.    (The  Sculptor.) 

Mr.  John  Brasier.  (CamherwcU.) 

Mr.  William  Cardale.  (Solici- 
tor, of  Bedford  Row.) 

Mr.  Nathan  Downer.  (Merchant 
in  Bishopsgate  Street.) 

Mr.  Charles  Elliott.  (Clapham 
and  Brighton.) 

Mr.  John  Jowett.  (Newington 
Butts.) 

Mr.  Ambrose  Martin.  (Banker, 
of  Finch  Lane.) 

Mr.  John  Pearson.  (Surgeon, 
Golden  Square.) 

Mr.  EnwARj)  Venn.  (Camber- 
well) 


The  Coinniittee  subsequently  elected  the  following  Country  Members : — 


'I'lioMAs  BAHiNciTON,  Esq.,  Rothely 

Temple,  Leicestershire. 
Rev.  Edward  liuRN,  Birmingham. 
Rev.  Tnit.MAsT.  Biddllph,  Bristol. 
Rev.  L.  (oi.lthurst,  1).]3.,   Vicar 

of  Halifax. 
Kcv.  Isaac  Crouch,  Oxford. 
Rev.  W1LLIA.M  Day,    Bengeworth, 

\\'<>rce8tershire. 
Rev.  Tho.mas  Dikes,  Hull. 
Rev.  Edward  F^dwards,  Lynn. 
Rev.  John  Fawcett,  Carlisle. 
Rev  TiniMAs  Frv,  Oxford. 


Rev.  Robert  Hawker,  D.D.,  Ply- 
mouth. 

William  Hey,  Esq.,  Leeds. 

Rev.  Melville  Horne,   Maccles- 
field. 

Rev.    Thomas    Jones,    Crcaton, 
Nortliamptonshire. 

Rev.  Robert  Jarratt,    ^Velling- 
ton,  Somerset. 

Rev.  John  Mayor,  Shrewsbury. 

Rev.   Matthew   Powley,    Dews- 
bury. 

Rev.  Thomas  Robinson,  Leicester. 

Rev. 


1800  ]  THE  ARCHBISHOP  ADDRESSED.  15 

To  His  Grace  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

•'  London,  July  1,  1799. 
"  MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  GRACE 

"  The  Committee  of  a  Society  now  forming  for  Missions  to 
Africa  and  the  East  have  sent  a  deputation  of  their  members* 
to  present,  in  the  most  respectful  manner,  to  Your  Grace,  as 
Metropolitan,  a  copy  of  the  Rules  which  they  have  framed,  to- 
gether with  the  Account  of  the  nature  of  their  Institution,  which 
is  designed  for  publication.  They  humbly  trust  that  Your 
Grace  will  be  pleased  favourably  to  regard  this  attempt  to  ex- 
tend the  benefits  of  Christianity,  an  attempt  peculiarly  neces- 
sary at  a  period  in  which  the  most  zealous  and  systematic 
efforts  have  been  made  to  eradicate  the  Christian  faith. 

"  With  the  utmost  submission  and  reverence  they  beg  leave 
to  subscribe  themselves 

"  Your  Grace's  most  obedient  humble  servants. 
"  Signed,  on  behalf  of  the  Committee, 

"John  Venn,  Chairman." 


Rev.  William  Richardson,  York. 
Rev.  CiiARLiis  Simeon,  Cambridge 
Rev.  RonEKT  Storry,  Colchester. 
Rev.  James  Stillingfleet,     Ho- 
tham,  Yorkshire. 


Rev.    Christopher    Stephenson, 

OIncy. 
Rev.W.TERROT,  Haddington,  N.B. 
Rev.  James  Vaughan,  Bristol. 
Rev.  George  West,  Stoke,  Surrey. 


The  Rev.  John  Fawcett,  one  of  the  very  few  survivors  of  the  nol)le 
band  above  enumerated,  attended  an  early  Meeting  of  the  Committee 
at  the  identical  Castle- and- Falcon,  Nov.  1st  of  this — the  Society's  Ju- 
bilee year ;  and  the  Jubilee  Sermon  preached  on  the  same  day  at  St.  Ann's, 
Blackfriars,  by  His  Grace  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury ;  and  next  morn- 
ing the  Jubilee  Meeting  of  the  Society  at  Exeter  Hall,  when  he  closed 
the  interesting  proceedings  of  the  day  by  pronouncing  the  Apostolic 
Benediction  on  the  assembly,  consisting  of  3000  persons. 

*  These  were,  William  WUberforce,  Esq.,  Cliarlcs  Grant,  Esq.,  and 
Rev.  John  Venn. 


|(i  THE  ARCHBISHOP'S  REPLY.  [Chav.  H. 

The  Archbishop  left  town  about  this  time,  and  the 
reply  to  this  letter  was  necessarily  delayed.  But  on 
the  2Sth  of  August,  1799,  Mr.  Venn  writes  to  the  Kev. 
Thomas  Scott,  Secretary,  as  follows  : — 

"As  soon  as  the  Arciibishop  returned,  Mr.  Wilberforce  [one 
of  the  deputation]  waited  upon  him,  and  had  a  long  conversa- 
tion witli  him  respecting  the  Society,  and  the  persons  by  whom 
it  was  set  on  foot.  The  Archbishop  was  very  candid,  and  ap- 
peared to  be  favourably  disposed  ;  but,  as  might  be  expected, 
he  was  cautious  not  to  commit  himself  till  he  was  more  parti- 
cularly acquainted  with  the  subject.  He  said  that  he  should 
be  glad  to  receive  the  deputation  at  any  time." 

Further  delays  ensued,  arising  from  the  absence  of 
the  Archbishop  from  town. 

At  length,  in  July,  1800,  Mr.  Wilberforce  communi- 
cated to  Mr.  Venn  the  result  of  his  interviews  in  the 
follow  ing  letter  : — 

ff'illiam  Wilberforce,  Esq.,  to  liev.  John  Venn. 

"  MY   DEAR  SIR — 

"  I  had  promised  myself  a  quiet  morning  at  Chelsea,  charm- 
ing from  its  novelty  as  well  as  its  intrinsic  comfort,  but  your 
letter  determined  me  to  sally  forth.  I  have  had  an  interview 
with  the  Archbishop,  who  has  spoken  in  very  obliging  terms, 
and  expressed  himself  concerning  your  Society  in  as  favourable 
a  way  as  could  be  expected.  I  will  tell  you  more  at  large 
when  we  meet  what  passed  between  us.  Meanwhile,  I  will  just 
state,  tliat  His  Grace  regretted  that  he  could  not,  with  pro- 
priety, at  once  express  his  full  concurrence  or  approbation  of 
any  endeavours  in  behalf  of  an  object  he  has  deeply  at  heart. 
He  acquiesced  in  the  hope  I  expressed  that  the  Society  might 
go  forward  ;  being  assured  that  he  would  look  on  their  proceed- 


1800]  CHURCH   MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  FORMED.  17 

ings  with  candour,  and  that  it  would  give  him  pleasure  to  find 
them  such  as  he  could  approve. 

"  Believe  me,  ever  affectionately  yours,  in  extreme  haste, 

'«  W.  W. 

'■'■Palace  Yard,  Thursday.  July  24  [IHOO]." 

Matters  having  been  brought  thus  far,  the  Com- 
mittee met  on  the  4th  of  August,  1800 ;  embodied  the 
substance  of  Mr.  Wilberforce's  letter  in  the  form  of  a 
Resolution,  which  was  entered  on  the  Minutes ;  and 
took  measures  for  publishing  their  Prospectus*  without 
further  delay.  Copies  were  sent  to  various  Religious 
Societies,  and  to  a  great  number  of  the  clergy  and 
laity  throughout  the  kingdom.  The  following  is  the 
friendly  acknowledgment  by  the  Secretary  of  the  So- 
ciety for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  which  at 
that  time  had  charge  of  the  Missions  in  South  India, 
afterwards,  in  1826,  transferred  to  the  Society  for  Pro- 
pagating the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  : — 

Rev.  George  Gask'ui,  Secretary  to  the  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  to  Rev.  Thomas  Scott,  Secretary  to 
the  Church  Missionary  Society. 

"  REV.  SIR — 

"  I  received  the  favour  of  your  letter,  together  with  fifty 
copies  of  an  account  of  '  the  Society  for  Missions  to  Africa  and 
the  East.'     The  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge 


*  This  was  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Venn.  See  Appendix  to  a  Sermon 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Venn,  Honorary  Secretary  of  the  Churcli 
Missionary  Society,  on  occasion  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Pratt ;  also  a  Jubilee 
Tract  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Venn,  intituled  "The  Founders  of  tlie  Church 
Missionary  Society,  and  its  First  Five  Years." 

C 


m  Mil.  PRATT  APPOINTED  SECRETARY.  [Chap.  II. 

desire  me  to   return  thanks  for  this  mark  of  your  Society  s  at- 
tention to  them. 

"The   harvest  is   truly  plenteous.     God  grant   that  fit  la- 
l)t)urcrs  may  be  found  to  work  in  it,  that  the  Gentiles,  who 
have  not  yet  entered  into  the  shecpfold  of  Christ's  Church,  may 
be  leil  to  see  that  it  is  tlie  ark  of  salvation  ! 
"  I  am,  Rev.  Sir, 

"  Your  faithful  humble  servant, 

"  Geo.  Gaskin,  Secretary. 
'■'■  Bartlrtt's  Buildinos,  Nov.  7,  1800." 

On  the  8th  of  December,  1802,  Mr.  Scott  resigned  the 
ofTice  of  Secretary,  and  he  was  immediately  succeeded 
by  JMr.  Pratt,  who  retained  it  till  the  23d  of  April,  1824 
— through  a  period  of  more  than  twenty-one  years.  He 
devoted  the  vigour  of  his  days — from  his  34th  to  his 
5Gth  year — in  arduous  and  imtiring  labours  in  its  ser- 
vice ;  and  to  the  close  of  life  took  the  deepest  in- 
terest in  all  its  affairs,  being  ever  ready,  when  applied 
to,  to  aid  the  Committee  by  that  counsel  and  advice 
which  his  large  experience,  sound  sense,  and  compre- 
hensive mind  so  well  fitted  him  to  impart. 

When  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of  the  Secretary- 
ship, the  Society  were  endeavouring  to  engage  the 
services  of  suitable  labourers  to  commence  a  Mission  in 
West  Africa  ; — a  quarter  of  the  globe  to  which  the 
symi)athies  of  Christians  were  at  that  time  powerfully 
drawn,  in  consequence  of  the  cruel  injuries  inflicted 
upon  its  inhabitants  by  the  Slave  Trade.  But  at- 
tempts to  interest  young  men  in  England,  and  to  in- 
duce them  to  embark  in  this  labour  of  love,  were  then 
i|uitc  unavailing. 

And  here  occasion  offers,  to  pay  a  just  tribute  to 


1803.]  REV.  WILLIAM  GOODE.  19 

the  memory  of  that  excellent  man  and  early  friend  of 
the  Society,  the  Rev.  William  Goode,  in  whose  study, 
at  the  Rectory  of  St.  Ann's,  Blackfriars,  the  Commit- 
tee held  its  meetings  for  several  of  the  earlier  years, 
and  in  whose  Church  the  first  sixteen  Anniversary 
Sermons  were  preached.  He  may  be  said  to  have 
died  in  the  cause,  for  the  complaint  which  removed 
him  from  the  Church  on  earth,  was  taken  in  a  journey 
to  Ipswich  on  behalf  of  the  Society.  At  the  period  of 
which  we  are  speaking,  the  warmest  friends  of  the 
cause  were  at  times  almost  disposed  to  abandon  the 
undertaking,  in  despair  of  procuring  suitable  instru- 
ments for  carrying  out  their  designs  among  the  Hea- 
then :  but  the  faith  of  this  holy  man  seemed  never  to 
fail ;  and  Mr.  Pratt  would  often  refer  in  later  years, 
with  affectionate  remembrance,  to  the  exhortations  of 
Mr.  Goode  to  persevere  in  believing  prayer,  as  he  felt 
no  doubt  but,  when  patience  had  had  its  perfect  work, 
the  Lord  would  crown  their  plans  and  efforts  with 
success. 

The  Society  was  at  length  compelled  to  direct  its 
attention  to  the  Continent,  and  entered  into  corre- 
spondence with  the  Directors  of  the  Berlin  Seminary, 
recently  established  for  the  purpose  of  training  pious 
young  men  for  Missionary  work.  And  towards  the 
close  of  1803  two  young  men,  brought  up  in  that  In- 
stitution, and  ordained  in  the  Lutheran  Church,  in 
which  they  had  been  baptized,  "  were  accepted  as 
Missionaries  of  the  Society,  to  be  employed  as  Mini- 
sters of  a  Sister  Communion  to  the  Church  of  England, 
after  the  example  of  the  venerable  Society  for  Pro- 

c  2 


2^J  COllRESrOiNDENCE.  [Chap.  II. 

nioting  Christian  Knowledge."  *  In  the  following  letter 
to  the  I^rincipal  of  the  Berlin  Institution,  Mr.  Pratt 
adverts  to  these  individuals,  and  to  others  who  w^ere 
under  preparation  for  future  employment.  The  last 
part  of  the  letter  refers  to  the  renewal  of  war  between 
France  and  England,  and  the  threat  of  Buonaparte  to 
invade  England. 

To  the  Rev.  J.  Jfvmckf'. 

"London,  Ami.  2,  IHOH. 
••  DEAR  FRIEND  AND    BROTHER  — 

•  «»»*♦* 

'*  We  are  well  satisfied  with  your  account  of  the  four 
brethren,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  preparing  for  their 
great  work.  Brethren  R.  and  H.  are  both  well.  The  time  is 
now  very  near  wlien  they  will  probably  set  sail  for  Africa.  We 
have  written  to  our  friends  at  Sierra  Leone  to  prepare  matters 
for  them.  They  will  set  out,  God  willing,  after  about  two 
months  ;  and  after  staying  a  proper  time  in  the  Colony  of  Sierra 
Leone  to  get  inured  to  the  climate,  &c.,  they  will  proceed  to 
their  destination,  whither,  let  us  not  doubt,  the  Lord  will  ac- 
company them,  and  give  them  favour  and  success  with  the 
Susoo  people. 

"  It  is  glorious,  while  others  are  thirsting  for  human  blood, 
to  be  thirsting  for  souls ;  while  others  are  ambitious  of  en- 
slaving their  lellow-men,  to  be  ambitious  only  of  carrying  to 
them  true  ;md  spiritual  freedom;  and  while  others  are  labour- 
ing night  and  day  to  enlarge  authority  which  will  expire  with 
their  breath,  to  wear  our  strength  out  in  extending  diat  king- 
dom whicli  shall  never  end  ! 

"  We  are  rising  up  as  one  man  in  these  nations  to  resist  our 
cruel  and  perfidious  enemy.  It  is  the  deliberate  determination 
of  multitudes,  I  believe,  among  us,  to  inflict  a  signal  chastise- 


*    l'u\irtli  III  port  of  tlio  Churcli  Missionary  Society,  p.  315. 


1803.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  21 

ment  upon  the  French,  if  they  venture  to  set  foot  upon  our 
shores,  or  to  die  in  the  conflict.  But  the  hattle  is  the  Lord's ; 
and  my  hope  is,  that,  though  we  are  a  highly  sinful  land,  yet 
God  will  spare  us,  in  answer  to  the  earnest  prayers  of  His  many 
children  scattered  among  us.  Yet  it  is  an  awful  time  ;  and  if 
the  English  and  French  meet  in  the  field  on  British  ground, 
you  will  hear,  and  we  shall  experience,  what  will  make  both 
ears  to  tingle.  Remember  us  in  your  prayers,  that  we  may 
live  a  reformed  and  Christian,  as  well  as  a  victorious  nation. 
And  may  our  blessed  Lord  hear  and  answer,  and  prosper  us  in 
all  our  labours  for  the  promotion  of  that  Kingdom  of  Peace 
which  will  sheath  the  murderous  sword,  and  make  the  world 
one  scene  of  harmony  and  love  ! 

"  Believe  me.  Dear  Sir, 
"  Your  faithful  friend  and  brother  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 

He  adverts  again  to  the  all-absorbing  topic  of  the 
French  invasion,  in  a  letter  to  another  friend  in  Berlin. 

To  the  Rev.  G.  S.  Stracke. 

"London,  Oct.  11,  1803. 
'*  DEAR  BROTHER  IN  THE  LORD — 

"  Your  prayers,  and  the  interest  you  and  other  Christians 
take  in  the  present  state  of  Great  Britain,  have  afforded  much 
consolation  to  several  brethren  to  whom  I  have  communicated 
them.  Our  sins  as  a  nation,  and  our  infirmities  as  a  Church, 
are  very  great,  and  deserve  severe  punishment  and  scourging ; 
but  we  have  good  hopes  from  the  spirit  of  prayer  stirred  up  on 
our  behalf  among  ourselves,  and  among  Christians  in  Ger- 
many, Prussia,  &c.,  that  God  will  help  our  brave  exertions. 
Continue,  dear  brother,  to  remember  us  unceasingly  in  your 
prayers. 

"  As  I  thought  it  might  be  pleasing  to  you,  I  have  sent  you 
a  small  collection  of  Tracts  and  papers,  published,  as  you  will 
see,  to   rouse   the  spirit  of  the  country,  and  some  of  them  by 


22 


DISAPPOINTMENTS.  [Chap.  II. 


sincere  Christians,  aiul  in  a  right  spirit.  Tliesc  form  but  a 
small  part  of  what  ha.s  been  published,  as  I  suppose  that  within 
three  months  not  less  than  300  ditrerent  publications  have  ap- 
peared on  this  subject." 

On  the  31st  of  January,  1804,  the  two  Missionaries 
IVoni  Berlin,  llev.  Messrs.  Ilenner  and  Hartwig,  were 
publicly  commended  to  the  grace  of  God  in  a  Meet- 
ing of  the  Committee.  Upon  this  occasion  Mr.  Pratt 
delivered  a  Farewell  Address — in  the  name  of  the 
Committee — full  of  counsel,  admonition,  and  encou- 
ragement. On  the  8th  of  March  they  sailed  ;  and  on 
the  14th  of  April,  after  a  prosperous  voyage,  they 
reached  their  destination. 

"  The  employment  of  the  press,  and  the  sending 
forth  of  Missionaries"  were,  as  we  have  seen,  the 
])rin('i])al  means  which  the  Society  had  from  the  be- 
ginning proposed  to  employ  in  carrying  on  their  great 
undertaking.  In  the  most  important  of  these  two 
branches  of  operation,  "  the  sending  forth  of  Missio- 
naries," they  were  now  fairly  engaged ;  and  many 
were  the  prayers  and  supplications  offered,  and  san- 
guine the  hopes  entertained,  that  "  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest"  would  speedily  gladden  the  heaits  of  his  ser- 
vants with  success. 

Hut  "  my  ways  are  not  your  ways,  saith  the  Lord, 
neither  are  my  thoughts  your  thoughts."  He  often 
leads  His  people  by  a  way  that  they  know  not.  We 
shall  hereafter  see  that  the  subse(juent  history  of  tliis 
Mission  largely  illustrates  these  truths.  Disappoint- 
ments and  trials  of  various  kinds,  and  through  a  long 
pciiod  t»f  time-,  taiijrht  many  a  lesson  to  Mr.  Pratt  and 


1803.]  A  NEW  PROJECT.  23 

his  co-adjiitors  in  the  Committee.  Thus  was  their 
faith  exercised,  a  spirit  of  supplication  called  forth,  and 
their  experience  so  enlarged,  as  to  prepare  them  for 
future  and  more  extensive  operations  with  a  measure 
of  judgment  and  intelligence  to  be  learnt  only  in  the 
school  of  difficulty.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  as  will 
be  seen,  ultimate  and  abundant  success — though  in  a 
way  they  had  not  thought  of — has  been  vouchsafed  to 
the  very  scene  of  their  first  disappointments ; — an  ac- 
knowledgment of  their  "  work  of  faith,  labour  of  love, 
and  patience  of  hope,"  well  calculated  to  animate  their 
successors  in  the  present  and  in  every  future  age. 

To  bring  "  the  press"  to  bear  upon  their  designs,  the 
Society  had  already  begun  to  make  inquiries  as  to  the 
best  manner  of  promoting  the  translation  and  printing 
of  the  Scriptures  and  Religious  Tracts  in  foreign  lan- 
guages. But  of  this  part  of  their  plan,  as  far  as  re- 
gards the  Scriptures,  the  Society  was  about  to  be 
relieved  by  a  project,  in  maturing  which  likewise 
Mr.  Pratt  took  so  active  a  part,  that  it  will  be  proper 
to  enter  into  some  farther  details. 

Events  were,  about  this  time,  preparing  the  way  for 
one  of  the  noblest  of  those  efforts  of  Christian  philan- 
thropy which  are  the  glory  of  the  age  and  the  land  we 
live  in.  An  unprecedented  demand  for  copies  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  throughout  the  Principality  of  Wales, 
which  it  was  found,  after  repeated  efforts,  none  of  the 
existing  Societies  were  ready  or  disposed  to  satisfy,  gave 
the  first  impulse  to  this  grand  design.  And  no  sooner 
was  public  attention  drawn  to  the  pressing  exigencies 
of  that  part  of  the  kingdom,   than  similar   cases  of 


21  FORMATION  OF  THE  [Ciiai'.  11. 

laiiientablL'  destitution  were  brought  to  light.  The  loud 
fcill  from  Wales,  roused  attention  to  a  sense  of  the 
general  scarcity  of  copies  of  the  Word  of  God  which 
})rcvailcd  tliroughout  the  country,  and  also  among  the 
foreign  Churches  of  the  Continent.  The  necessity  for 
devising  some  means,  on  a  large  and  efficient  scale,  of 
remedying  this  deep-felt  want,  was  no  sooner  laid 
open  than  it  was  felt  and  acknowledged.  Plans  for 
the  accomplishment  of  this  noble  object  were  speedily 
set  on  foot.  The  tone  of  Christian  feeling,  which  hap- 
pily prevailed  among  good  men  about  this  period, 
prepared  the  way  for  the  speedy  execution  of  any 
purpose  which  seemed  calculated  to  promote  the  ad- 
vancement of  true  religion.  The  glowing  embers 
were  smouldering,  and  needed  but  a  well-directed 
current  to  rouse  them  into  a  flame. 

On  the  7th  of  March,  1804,  a  Public  Meeting  was 
convened  in  London,  when  it  was  resolved  *'  with 
unanimous  demonstrations  of  cordiality  and  joy,"  that 
a  Society  should  be  formed,  to  be  designated  "  The 
BurnsH  and  Foreign  Bhjle  Society,  of  which  the  sole 
object  should  be  to  encourage  a  wider  dispersion  of 
the  Holy  Scriptures."*  A  Committee  of  thirty-six 
members  was  nominated  for  conducting  its  affairs,  and 
some  Resolutions  were  passed  tracing  an  outline  of  its 
future  constitution. 

TJk;  interesting  occurrences   of  this   Meeting    are 


In  inn,  the  following  words  were  added:  "without  note  or  coni- 
uieut.  The  only  coi)ies  in  the  lanujuaf^cs  of  the  Unite!  Kingdom  to  be 
fircululL-1  Uy  the  Sociity  «ha!l  he  fhu  authorized  version." 


1804]  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  2j 

vividly  described  by  the  pious  historian  of  the  Society, 
who  himself  took  an  active  share  in  its  proceedings. 
He  describes  himself  as  "  surrounded  by  a  multitude 
of  Christians,  whose  doctrinal  and  ritual  diirerences 
had  for  ages  kept  them  asunder,  and  who  had  been 
taught  to  regard  each  other  with  a  sort  of  pious 
estrangement,  or  rather  of  consecrated  hostility  :"  and 
then  in  the  following  words  conveys  to  us  a  lively  con- 
ception of  the  deep  interest  with  which  this  memora- 
ble day  was  invested. 

"  The  scene  was  new :  nothing  analogous  to  it  had  perhaps 
been  exhibited  before  the  pubHc  since  Christians  had  begun  to 
organize  among  each  other  the  strife  of  separation,  and  to 
carry  into  their  own  camp  that  war  which  they  ought  to  have 
waged  in  concert  against  the  common  enemy.  To  the  author 
it  appeared  to  indicate  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  in  Christendom, 
and  to  portend  something  like  the  return  of  those  auspicious 
days,  when  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart 
and  of  one  soul ;  and  when,  as  a  consequence  of  that  union,  to 
a  certain  degree  at  least,  the  Word  of  God  mightily  greio  and 
prevailed.* 

Mr.  Pratt  was  one  of  this  interesting  assembly,  and 
was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Committee.  The  esta- 
blishment of  an  Institution  for  difFusing,  on  the 
grandest  scale,  the  written  Oracles  of  God,  was  an 
event  which  he  would  hail  with  the  utmost  delight. 
He  foresaw  at  once  what  important  service  such  an 
Institution  was  calculated  to  render,  in  becoming 
chief  commissary,  as  it  were,  to  the  great  Missionary 


'  Owtn's  iJist.  B.  and  F.  B.  Soc,  Vdl.  1.  p. 44. 


2(i 


THE  niHLE  SOCIETY.  [CiiAr.  II. 


army,  then  marslialling  by  various  denominations  of 
Christians,  for  tlie  invasion  of  Satan's  kingdom  through- 
out tlie  world.  He  communicated  the  happy  tidings 
to  xMr.  Strackc  of  Berlin,  in  the  following  letter. 

To  the  Rev.  G.  S.  StrackL 

"  LoNnoN,  March  21,  1804. 
•  MY   VF.KV   DEAR   UKOTIIER — 

»»»»»» 

"  You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  a  new  Society  was  formed 
in  London  the  beginning  of  this  month,  called  the  British  and 
Fnrcicpi  Bible  Society,  of  which  the  sole  object  is  to  encourage 
a  wider  dispersion  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  through  the  British 
dominions  ;  and,  according  to  the  ability  of  the  Society,  through 
other  countries,  whether  Christian,  Mahomedan,  or  Pagan. 
This  Society  is  intended  to  embrace  all  denominations  of  serious 
Christians,  and  much  spirit  and  unanimity  prevails  in  support- 
ing it.  You  will  probably  hear  more  from  our  friend  Stein- 
kopir,  who  is  one  of  the  Secretaries. 

"  May  our  blessed  Lord  prosper  these  and  all  other  designs 
for  extending  His  kingdom,  and  preserve  this  nation,  that  it 
may  still  be  an  honoured  instrument  in  His  hands  of  building 
up  His  holy  Temple  ! 

"I  remain,  Dear  Sir, 
"  With  fervent  prayer  for  you  and  all  yours, 

"  Your  affectionate  friend  and  brother, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

Five  days  after  the  formation  of  the  Society,  the 
Committee  met  for  the  election  of  officers,  and  the 
adjustment  of  the  practical  machinery  for  carrying  on 
its  operations.  It  was  determined  that  three  Secre- 
taries should  be  appointed  :  one  a  Clergyman  of  the 
Kstablislnd   Church,   another  a  Dissenting   Minister, 


1804.]  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  27 

and  the  third  a  representative  of  the  Foreign  Churches. 
For  the  first  of  these  posts  Mr.  Owen,  to  whose 
participation  in  the  formation  of  the  Society  allusion 
has  been  just  made,  "  directed  the  attention  of  the 
Committee,"  to  quote  his  own  words,  "to  the  Rev. 
Josiah  Pratt,  B.D.,  Secretary  to  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  as  a  person  who  united  the  talents  and  expe- 
rience which  such  an  office  might  be  supposed  to  re- 
quire." Mr.  Pratt  readily  consented  to  fill  the  ap- 
pointment, only  till  a  suitable  person  could  be  found 
willing  to  undertake  it.  The  Rev.  Joseph  Hughes, 
to  whom,  under  God,  belongs  the  praise  of  having 
first  suggested  the  formation  of  the  Society,  accepted 
the  second  office ;  and  a  revered  Minister,  who  still 
lives  to  rejoice  in  the  prosperity  of  this  noble  institu- 
tion— the  Rev.  Dr.  SteinkopfF — was  requested  to  un- 
dertake the  duties  of  the  Foreign  Secretary. 

During  the  brief  period  of  Mr.  Pratt's  occupying 
this  new  post,  the  gifts  with  which  God  had  specially 
endowed  him  were  called  into  active  service  in  effect- 
ing a  re-organization  of  the  Committee,  and  in  giving 
it  a  constitution,  the  practical  working  of  which  for 
more  than  forty  years  proves  the  wisdom  and  fore- 
thought with  which  it  was  devised. 

The  historian  of  the  Society  shall  describe  the 
transaction  in  his  own  impressive  and  elegant  lan- 
guage. After  enumerating  the  steps  which  were  taken 
when  the  Secretaries  were  appointed,  he  adds  : — 

"  The  first  of  these,  the  plan  for  new  modelling  the  Com- 
mittee, was  a  measure,  which,  for  the  felicity  of  thought  with 
which  it  was  conceived,  the  good  temper  on  all  sides  with  which 


2S 


TllK  HIBLF,  SOCIETY.  [Chap.  II- 


it  was  executed,  and  tin-  i)ractical  advantages  with  which  it  has 
been  followed,  deserves  to  be  particularly  related  and  explained. 

"  By  the  Eighth  Resolution,  as  settled  at  the  formation  of 
the  Society  on  the  7th  of  March,  it  was  enacted,  that  the  Com- 
nuttee  for  conducting  its  business  should  consist  of  thirty-six 
nicmbers.  Nothing  was,  however,  stated  or  defined  in  that 
Resolution  as  to  the  description  which  these  members  should 
answer,  or  the  religious  community  to  which  they  should  re- 
spectively belong.  They  were  chosen,  therefore,  indiscrimi- 
nately from  the  Episcopal  Clergy,  Dissenting  Ministers,  and 
the  Laity  at  large ;  with  little  reference  to  any  other  qualifica- 
tion than  that  of  known  or  reputed  attachment  to  religion,  and 
either  ascertained  or  probable  regard  for  the  object  and  success 
of  the  Institution. 

"  It  appeared,  upon  reflection,  that  a  list  which  should  exhi- 
bit such  a  combination  as  would  naturally  arise  from  so  desul- 
tory a  choice,  might  excite  a  prejudice  against  the  designs  of 
the  Society,  and  give  it  that  aspect  in  the  eyes  of  the  public 
which  would  jirccludo  it  from  general  support.  It  was  further 
considered,  that  it  would  be  highly  inexpedient  to  let  the  com- 
l^osition  of  a  body,  entrusted  with  the  direction  of  the  Society's 
aflairs,  remain  wholly  undefined ;  and  to  leave  the  annual  elec- 
tinn  of  its  members  to  the  uncertain  operation  of  casual  and 
unregulated  feeling.  A  plan  w^as  therefore  concerted  for 
modelling  the  Committee  on  a  principle  which  should  define 
the  respective  proportions  of  Churchmen,  Dissenters,  and  Fo- 
reigners ;  and  prescribe  such  other  regulations  as  might  obviate 
prejudice,  prevent  invidious  competition,  and  maintain  inviolate 
the  exercise  of  those  rights,  which  no  constituent  part  of  the 
Committee  were  cither  expected  or  disposed  to  surrender. 

"According  to  this  plan  it  was  determined  that  the  Com- 
mittee should  consist  exclusively  of  Laymen :  that  of  the  thirty- 
six  members,  to  which  number  it  was  limited,  six  should  be 
Foreigners,  resident  in  or  near  the  metropolis;  and  of  the  re- 
maining thirty,  one  half  should  l)e  menil)crs  of  the  Established 


1804.]  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  29 

Church,  and  the  other  half  members  of  other  Christian  denomina- 
tions. In  order,  however,  to  secure  the  services  of  the  Clergy 
and  Ministers  generally,  provision  was  made  for  their  admission 
to  a  seat  and  a  vote  in  the  Committee,  on  the  terms  which  made 
them  members  of  the  Society ;  a  provision  which,  while  it  con- 
cealed their  names,  recognised  their  privileges  and  retained  their 
co-operation.  The  merit  of  this  plan  belongs  wholly  to  the 
Rev.  Josiah  Pratt ;  and  when  it  is  considered  with  whom  the 
Society  originated,  and  under  what  sort  of  influence  its  first 
Committee  had  been  formed,  it  will  appear  that  it  must  have 
required  much  energy  on  the  one  part,  and  no  less  moderation 
on  the  other,  to  accomplish  a  measure  which  involved  so  many 
and  such  material  changes.  The  subject  was  indeed  very  freely 
discussed ;  and  objections  were  urged  against  parcelling  out 
the  Committee  by  lines  of  religious  distinction :  but  the  dis- 
cussion was  conducted  throughout  in  a  Christian  spirit ;  and 
ended  in  a  unanimous  determination  to  adopt  the  proposed  im- 
provements in  all  their  extent." 

The  Committee  revised  the  whole  of  the  rules,  and 
a  finished  draft  of  the  constitution  of  the  Society  was 
prepared,  to  be  submitted  to  a  Meeting  of  the  general 
body  convened  for  May  the  2d. 

About  a  week  previous  to  the  convening  of  this 
Meeting,  and  exactly  six  weeks  after  he  had  accepted 
the  office,  Mr.  Pratt,  finding  the  discharge  of  his  new 
duties  incompatible  with  his  engagements  as  Secretary 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  begged  the  Com- 
mittee to  accept  his  resignation ;  and  Mr.  Owen 
was  prevailed  upon  to  become  his  successor.  "  The 
proposition,"  says  Mr.  Owen,  "  originated  with  the 
Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  who  made  such  a  representation 
to  the  Committee  as  disposed  them  to  concur  with 
him  in  believing  that  it  would  be  for  the  advantage  of 


;(,,  THE  HlliLE  SOCIETY.  [Chap.  II. 

the  Institution  :"  and  he  proceeds  to  eulogize  the  con- 
duct of  Mr.  Pratt  in  the  transaction,  as  "  too  creditable 
to  the  integrity  of  his  mind,  and  his  superiority  to  the 
desire  of  personal  distinction,  not  to  attract  the  notice 
and  excite  the  gratitude  of  the  Committee.  They 
marked  their  sense  of  his  generosity  by  a  testimony  of 
their  warmest  approbation  ;  and  voted  him  their  una- 
nimous thanks  '  for  his  very  disinterested  attention  to 
the  welfare  of  the  Institution.'  "* 

j\Ir.  Owen's  personal  intimacy  with  the  Bishop  of 
London,  Dr.  Beilby  Porteus,  to  whom  he  regularly 
communicated  the  progress  of  events  in  this  great 
movement,  was  one  among  various  qualifications  which 
pointed  him  out  to  be  peculiarly  fitted  to  take  the 
oflice  of  Church-of-England  Secretary.  That  this  was 
the  argument  which  weighed  in  his  own  mind,  and  left 
him,  as  he  said,  no  option  in  the  matter,  may  be  ga- 
thered from  his  own  words  ;  when,  in  drawing  his  His- 
tory of  the  origin  of  the  Society  to  a  close,  and  enu- 
merating the  individuals  who  had  been  instrumental 
in  planning  the  Institution,  and  perfecting  its  ma- 
chinery, he  thus  recurs  to  the  part  which  Mr.  Pratt 
had  taken  : — 

"  111  iinother  material  agent,  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  may  be 
seen  a  continuation  of  what  has  been  observed  in  that  super- 
iiiteii(liii,u  wisdom,  which  brouglit  together  those  who  were 
(|ualilie(l  for  tlie  respective  i)arts  they  were  severally  intended 
to  perform.  The  sagacity  of  Mr.  Pratt  enabled  him  to  devise, 
and  his  perseverance  to  execute,  a  measure  which  prepared  the 

•   (»\viirs  Hist.  15  aiwl  F.  li.  Soc.  Vol.  I.  j)]).  57— <iO. 


1804]  THE  B1I3LE  SOCIETY.  M 

way  for  tlic  last  agent  in  the  confederation,  the  writer  of  this 
History,  to  introduce  the  Society  with  acceptance  to  Bishop 
Porteus,  and  thereby  to  accomplish  the  grand  object  of  its  pro- 
jectors and  managers — its  decided  connection  with  the  Esta- 
blished Church."  * 

Although  Mr.  Pratt  so  soon  ceased  to  be  officially 
connected  with  the  Bible  Society,  he  continued  to  be 
its  firm  friend  and  advocate  to  the  close  of  his  life. 
In  1811,  the  Committee,  desirous  of  testifying  the  gra- 
titude they  considered  due  to  him  from  the  Society, 
as  "  one  of  its  earliest,  most  constant,  and  useful 
friends,"  unanimously  placed  him  amongst  those  Life 
Governors  who  earned  that  distinction  by  rendering 
important  services  to  the  institution.  In  1812,  he  as- 
sisted in  perfecting  a  set  of  Rules  for  the  efficient  or- 
ganization of  Auxiliary  and  Branch  Societies  and  Bible 
Associations,  which  had  been  originated  by  Richard 
Phillips,  Esq.,  a  warm  and  active  friend  of  the  cause. 
Mr.  Pratt  also,  in  conjunction  with  five  other  gentle- 
men, arranged  a  system  of  productive  and  efficient 
Auxiliary  Societies  for  the  City  of  London  and  its 
precincts. 

*  Owen's  Hist.  B.  and  F.  B.  Soc.  Vol.  I.  p.  04. 


CHAPTER  III. 

1804—1812. 

TirKSUSOO  COUNTIIY  SELECTF.D  I'Oll  THE  COMMENCEMENT  OF  MISSIONAIIY 
ENTERPRISE M'TIIERAN  LABOLUEHS  EMPLOYED— THE  TWO  FIRST  MIS- 
SIONARIES ARRIVE — THREE  MORE  EMBARK VARIOUS  TRIALS  AND  DIF- 
FICULTIES— MISCONDUCT  OF  ONE  OF  fHE    JIISSIONAIUES — LETTERS    FROBI 

MR.  PRATT  ON  THIS  PAINFUL  OCCASION TWO  SETTLEiMENTS    COMMENCED 

—  DEATH    OF    ONE    OF  THE    MISSIONARIES A  THIRD  SETTLEMENT    ESTA- 
BLISHED—  SCHOOLS  FORMED — DEATHS  OF  MISSIONARIES. 

It  was  on  the  14th  April,  1804,  after  the  long  interval 
of  five  years  since  the  formation  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  that  its  first  Missionaries  reached  the 
shores  of  West  Africa.  This  part  of  the  heathen  world 
had  been  chosen  as  the  scene  of  the  Society's  earliest 
operations,  partly  in  consequence  of  the  facilities  pre- 
sented for  entering  upon  it,  but  especially,  (as  already 
intimated,)  because  the  injuries  inflicted  on  that  un- 
happy country  by  the  Slave  Trade  had  attracted  the 
attention  and  the  sympathy  of  the  religious  public. 
The  Society  was  led  to  select  the  Susoo  Country  for 
the  commencement  of  their  operations ;  and  this  for 
various  reasons.  Its  proximity  to  the  Colony  of  Sierra 
Leone,  the  extent  of  country  through  which  the  Susoo 
language  was  spoken,  the  easy  access  which  would  in 
all  i^robability  be  opened  from  hence  toother  tribes,  and 
some  peculiar  facilities  which  at  the  time  presented 
themselves  for  acquiring  the  language,  seemed  to  point 
out  a  clear  course  for  the  Society  to  pursue.  It  was 
determined,  unless  Divine  Providence  should  close  the 


1804—1812.]  LUTHERAN  MISSIONARIES.  33 

door,  to  make  a  vigorous  and  combined  effort  among 
this  people.* 

The  Missionaries  sent  to  West  Africa  were,  for 
several  years,  Lutheran.  The  Society  thankfully  ac- 
knowledged the  zeal  and  devotedness  of  a  sister 
Church,  which  put  to  shame  the  coldness  and  back- 
wardness of  their  own  ;  but  they  went  forth  with  the 
understanding,  that  whatever  converts  might  be  given 
them,  should  be  brought  up,  as  far  as  practicable,  ac- 
cording to  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  Church 
of  England.  No  doubt  inconvenience  was  occasionally 
felt  under  this  arrangement.  Questions,  peculiar  to 
this  state  of  things,  arose  from  time  to  time  ;  but  the 
manner  in  which  they  were  settled,  has  always  exhi- 
bited the  conscientious  attachment  of  the  rulers  of  the 
Society  to  their  own  Church. 

The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Pratt  to  some  Lu- 
theran  Missionaries  of  the  Society,  who  were  remain- 
ing at  Liverpool  ready  to  embark,  serves  well  to  il 
lustrate  the  anxious  desire  by  which  he  and  his  com- 
panions were  actuated  of  doing  all  things,  according 
to  the  Apostle's  rule,  decently  and  in  order.  It  shews, 
also,  the  sentiments  which  he  entertained  towards 
those  Christian  bodies,  which  differ  from  that  to  which 
he  was  so  firmly  attached.  The  conduct  which  called 
it  forth  is  sufficiently  explained  in  the  letter  itself; 
but  it  may  be  as  well  previously  to  point  out  the  pe- 
culiar position  in  which  the  Missionaries  were  placed. 
Some  pious  friends  who  became  acquainted  with  them 


Fourth  Report  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  p.  321. 
D 


;n  LUTHERAN  MISSIONARIES.  [Chap.  II. 

during  their  detention  at  Liverpool,  were  desirous  of 
giving  them  an  opportunity  of  rousing  the  attention 
of  others  to  the  sacred  cause  to  which  they  had  de- 
voted tlieir  lives.  But  here  a  difficulty  arose.  They 
were  Lutherans,  and  therefore  could  not  preach  in 
our  Churches ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  they  were 
the  accredited  agents  of  a  Church-of-England  Society, 
and  therefore,  in  strict  propriety,  ought  not  to  act  in 
contravention  of  the  rules  of  the  Church  for  which 
they  were  employed.  This  was  one  of  the  inconve- 
niences which  necessarily  arose  from  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances. A  sacrifice  was  necessary  somewhere, 
sacrifice,  either  of  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  Missiona- 
ries, or  of  principle  on  the  part  of  the  Society.  The 
following  letter  will  shew  how  wisely  this  case  was 
determined.  The  spirit  of  charity,  as  well  as  of  in- 
tegrity, which  breathes  through  it,  cannot  fail  to  arrest 
oljservation. 

From  the  Secretary  to  the  Missionaries  at  Liverpool. 

"  London,  Jan.  30,  1800. 
"  DEAR  BRETHREN — 

"  Mr.  Smith  has  just  brought  me  your  letters  to  him.  I  am 
concerned  to  hear  that  you  have  preached  to  mixed  conc/rega- 
fions,  and  partly  in  Englisli,  because  the  Committee  wish  you 
to  appear  only  as  German  Ministers  while  you  stay  in  Eng- 
land. The  Connnittec  will  have  no  objection,  I  am  persuaded, 
to  your  preaching  in  German  to  your  oivn  countrymen ;  but 
they  will  certainly  be  hurt  at  your  preaching  in  English,  and 
to  Englishmen ;  because,  in  doing  that,  as  you  cannot  appear 
as  Ministers  of  the  Estal)lished  Church,  you  must  appear  as 
Dissenting  Ministers  ;  and  the  many  persons  in  our  Church 
who  are  enemies  to  our  Society  will  immediately  take  advantage 


1806.]  LUTHERAN  MISSIONARIES.  35 

of  this,  and  reproach  us  with  having  sent  out  Dissenters  from  our 
Establishment.  We  are  obliged,  therefore,  to  act  with  great 
caution.  Nothing  was  said  to  you  on  the  subject  of  preaching 
or  not  preaching  at  Liverpool  before  you  left  London,  because  it 
was  not  then  known  that  you  would  stay  so  long  at  Liverpool. 
I  shall  inform  the  Committee  on  Monday  of  the  remarks  which 
I  have  now  made  to  you.  In  the  mean  time,  and  till  you  hear 
from  me  again,  I  advise  you  (and  I  am  persuaded  that  the 
whole  Committee  will  be  of  the  same  mind)  preach  only  in 
German  and  to  your  countrymen^  in  some  large  private  room, 
if  such  can  be  procured,  rather  than  in  any  Dissenting  Meeting 
or  Methodist  Chapel ;  and  by  no  means  make  a  show  or  exhi- 
bition of  yourselves  in  preaching  about  from  place  to  place  or 
to  mixed  congregations.  If  you  can  be  of  any  service  to  your 
countrymen,  be  so,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  but 
do  not  stand  forward  to  excite  and  gratify  the  curiosity  of  our 
countrymen,  where  little  or  no  real  edification  can,  in  the  nature 
of  things,  follow,  as  they  cannot  understand  you,  and  where  it 
will  be  attended  with  such  a  manifest  breach  of  the  discipline 
of  our  Church,  as  may  subject  the  Society  to  much  inconve- 
nience and  obloquy. 

"  I  have  written  thus  in  the  fulness  and  freedom  of  my 
heart.  I  love  all  my  Dissenting  and  Methodist  brethren 
who  sincerely  love  our  Saviour;  but,  as  a  Society,  we  are 
surrounded  by  those  who  wait  for  our  halting,  and  we  are 
bound  therefore  to  adhere  strictly  to  our  profession  as  Church- 
men. 

"  The  kindness  and  love  shewn  you  by  the  families  where 
you  dwell,  and  by  other  friends,  deserve  your  and  our  heartiest 
thanks. 

"  Believe  me,  dear  Friends, 

"  Yours  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

It  has  been  already  intimated,  that  the  members  of 

u  2 


3(i 


WEST-AFRICA  MISSION.  [Chap.  III. 


the  Society  early  discovered,  that,  excellent  as  the  de- 
sign of  their  Institution  was,  they  were  to  learn  the 
experience  necessary  for  carrying  on  its  concerns  and 
superintending  its  Missions  by  a  course  of  trials  and 
disap])ointments. 

The  first  letters  received  from  Africa  after  the  ar- 
rival of  the  Missionaries,  brought  gloomy  intelligence. 
One  of  the  two  sent  out  was  laid  aside  by  severe  ill- 
ness, and  was  brought  to  the  borders  of  the  grave ; 
while  his  wife,  from  the  same  cause,  was  obliged  to 
leave  the  country.  The  other  Missionary  continued 
at  the  Colony,  taking  the  English  duties,  till  a  Chap- 
lain could  be  sent  out.  So  that  the  design  of  a  Mis- 
sion being  immediately  commenced  among  the  Susoos 
was  for  a  time  defeated,  and  the  Missionary  work  did 
not  begin.  A  long  interval  followed  before  the  arrival 
of  the  next  letters :  no  communication  was  received 
for  eight  months.  In  the  mean  time  one  of  four  Ber- 
lin students,  specially  set  apart  for  the  Society,  with- 
drew from  the  service  to  which  he  had  devoted  him- 
self; by  which  the  Committee  became  "confirmed  in 
the  conviction  of  its  being  highly  ex])edient  to  give 
the  students  a  sufficient  time  to  discover  their  real 
state  and  character,  before  they  are  actually  sent  out 
in  the  service  of  the  Society." 

The  next  accounts  from  Africa  were  more  encou- 
raging. The  Missionaries  were  in  "perfect  health," 
and  were  anxious  for  the  arrival  of  the  brethren, 
who,  they  heard,  were  set  apart  as  their  future  co- 
adjutors. Excursions  had  been  made  among  the 
various  tribes  of  the  Susoo  country,  as  far  as  the  Rio 


1S06.]  TRIALS  AND  DISAPPOINTMENTS.  37 

Pongas,  a  river  about  100  miles  north  of  Sierra  Leone. 
During  these  journeys  some  insight  was  obtained  into 
the  character  of  the  natives  and  the  slave  dealers, 
among  whom  they  would  have  to  labour.* 

The  next  Missionaries,  three  in  number,  embarked 
at  Liverpool,  Feb.  12,  1806.  And  now  new  causes  of 
disquietude  awaited  the  Society,  in  the  trials  of  those 
whom  they  were  sending  forth.  After  combating 
severe  weather,  the  vessel  in  which  they  sailed  was 
stranded  on  a  sand-bank  on  the  Irish  coast  about 
4  A.M.,  when  they  were  aroused  from  a  profound  sleep 
by  the  cry,  "  We  are  lost !  we  are  lost !"  But  it 
pleased  God  to  rescue  them  from  their  perils  in  the 
deep,  in  that  night  of  terror  and  confusion.  On  the 
22d  of  April  they  re-embarked  for  Sierra  Leone  at 
Bristol.  The  vessel  sailed  round  to  Falmouth,  and 
waited  some  time  for  a  convoy  ;  and  at  last  weighed 
anchor  unexpectedly,  without  apprizing  the  Missio- 
naries, who  were  then  on  shore.  They  no  sooner 
learnt  that  they  were  left  behind,  than  they  followed 
without  delay  in  an  open  boat;  but,  owing  to  the 
roughness  of  the  weather,  were  unable  to  board  the 
vessel.  After  being  tossed  about  for  several  hours 
under  a  very  violent  gale,  to  the  imminent  hazard  of 
their  lives,  they  returned  to  Falmouth  depressed  and 
chagrined.  The  wind,  however,  having  suddenly 
changed,  they  were  scarcely  returned  into  the  har- 
bour, when  the  vessel  in  which  they  were  to  have 

*  Sec  the  "Missionary  Register"  for  1817,  p.  98,  for  a  Map  of  this 
part  of  West  Africa,  in  which  the  relative  position  of  the  tribes  is  well 
shewn. 


;jvi  WEST-AFRICA  MISSION.  [Chap.  111. 

sailed  \)U\  back  with  the  whole  fleet,  and  came  to 
anchor,  and  the  Missionaries  immediately  embarked. 
The  wind  improving,  they  set  sail  again,  and  reached 
Madeira  on  the  2d  of  June,  where  the  captain  died;  and 
here  they  were  detained  for  three  months  and  a  half, 
till  instructions  could  be  obtained  from  the  owners  of 
the  ship.  They  reached  Sierra  Leone  Sept.  22, 1806, 
more  than  seven  months  after  they  first  embarked  ;  an 
interval  in  wdiich,  under  favourable  circumstances, 
tliey  might  have  made  the  voyage  six  times  over. 
Thus  at  the  very  outset  w^ere  the  faith  and  patience 
of  both  the  Missionaries  and  the  friends  of  the  cause, 
severely  put  to  the  test. 

It  was  the  design  of  the  Society  that  their  Missio- 
naries should  form  settlements  among  the  natives, 
where  they  should  congregate  together,  and  from 
which  they  should  make  excursions  among  the  neigh- 
bouring tribes,  and  ultimately,  as  their  numbers  in- 
creased, branch  out  and  establish  Out-Stations.  Four 
of  the  five  Missionaries  now  in  the  country,  were  di- 
rected to  embrace  w  ithout  delay  an  opportunity  which 
ofTered  about  this  time  of  settling  in  a  Susoo  town  on 
the  Rio  Pongas,  belonging  to  a  friendly  chief.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Renner,  being  the  senior  of  the  five,  and  well 
adapted  to  the  duties,  remained  in  the  Colony,  dis- 
charging the  office  of  Chaplain.  The  Abolition  of  the 
Slave  Trade  just  at  this  time,  and  the  formation  of 
the  African  Institution,  were  regarded  as  two  occur- 
rences higlily  calculated  to  promote  the  Society's  de- 
signs in  their  West-Africa  Mission. 

Hut   a  sad    blight  was  now    threatening  the  very 


1806]  A  PAINFUL  OCCURRENCE.  39 

existence  of  the  Mission  itself,  from  the  misconduct 
of  one  of  the  Labourers  who  first  went  forth.  The 
earliest  workings  of  this  mischief  were  traced  to  some 
misunderstandings  which  arose  about  seniority.  The 
following  extract  of  a  letter,  written  by  Mr.  Pratt 
before  either  the  full  extent  of  the  evil,  or  the  party 
to  whom  the  blame  attached,  was  known,  will  shew 
the  fidelity  and  paternal  anxiety  with  which  he  watched 
the  infant  Mission : — 

"  London,  June  23,  1800. 
"  Remember,  brethren,  the  awful  charge  you  have  taken  on 
you.  Remember  how  much  you  are  bound  to  commend  by 
your  own  spirit  and  temper  the  Gospel  which  you  are  gone 
forth  to  declare  to  the  Heathen.  Pray  earnestly  that  self  may 
be  sacrificed  to  the  honour  and  glory  of  Christ.  Labour  and 
pray,  that  you  may  live  in  love  and  in  due  subordination,  one 
with  another  and  with  the  brethren,  who  will  have  joined  you, 
we  trust,  before  this  reaches  you.  To  those  brethren  remem- 
ber us  with  unfeigned  affection.  Tell  them  that  their  old  com- 
panion   has  finally  given  up  the  Missionary  service,  and 

is  gone  to  Dublin.  On  the  strictest  examination,  he  does  not 
seem  to  have  had  from  the  beginning  any  peculiar  attachment 
to  the  perishing  Heathen,  but  only  to  have  had  a  general  desire 
to  preach  the  Gospel.  This  will  not  do  for  a  Missiouanj,  who 
must  be  a  man  raised  up  specially  of  God,  and  sent  forth  with 
a  deep  conviction  of  the  value  and  importance  of  the  service  in 
which  he  is  engaged." 

When  the  three  brethren  here  alluded  to  arrived, 
the  evil  developed  itself  more  manifestly ;  but  partly 
from  delay  in  communication,  and  partly  from  the 
backwardness  of  the  Missionaries  to  implicate  one  of 
their  number  till  the  case  was  clear,  and  necessity 
really  demanded  it,  it  was  some  time  before  the  Com- 


40 


WEST-Al-UICA  MISSION.  [Chap.  III. 


mittee  were  able  to  come  to  a  decision  upon  this  very 
j)ainful  question. 

The  following  is  a  passage  from  one  of  Mr.  Pratt's 
letters,  written  to  all  five  of  the  Missionaries,  during 
the  time  in  which  the  minds  of  the  Committee  were 
still  held  in  suspense  for  want  of  further  information. 
After  adverting  to  the  advantages  which  might  be  ex- 
pected from  their  forming  themselves  into  a  settle- 
ment, where  they  might  support  and  comfort  each 
other,  and,  as  they  felt  ability,  branch  out  to  other 
places,  he  gives  the  following  admirable  caution  and 
advice : — 

"  LoMJON,  April  27,  1807- 
"  But  remember,  dear  brethren,  that  if  you  do  not  manifest 
in  that  abode,  where  you  may  be  fixed,  the  grace  of  your 
Master,  in  forming  you  into  a  holi/,  patient,  industrious,  loving, 
meek,  and  heavenly  Society,  it  may  prove  in  the  end  that  it 
would  have  been  better  for  you  never  to  have  been  born,  than 
to  have  been  sent  to  Africa.  Oh !  do  not,  brethren,  yield  to 
the  tempter's  wiles.  Do  not  suffer  envy,  grudgings,  sur- 
misings,  ill-will,  jealousy,  anger,  to  have  any  footing  among 
you.  If  the  poor  Heathen  around  you  are  not  constrained  to  say 
<)t'//o//,  as  the  Heathen  of  old  said  of  the  first  Christians,  'See 
how  these  Christians  love,'  they  will  laugh  at  your  doctrines. 
Lives  and  tempers  are  very  intelligible  to  men  all  the  world 
over;  and  if  you  hope  to  win  the  Heathen  to  Christ,  it  must 
be  by  shewing  them  tliat  Christ  does  for  His  children  and  dis- 
ciples what  idols,  and  Mahomet,  and  the  devil,  cannot  do  for 
theirs.  If  they  see  you  pure  and  chaste,  and  humble  and  kind, 
and  forbearing  and  devout,  they  will  ask,  '  How  came  these 
men  to  be  so  happy  ?  They  are  our  friends  :  they  love  us : 
they  came  to  make  us  as  happy  as  they  are  themselves.'  And 
so   tlu\  will  begin  and  o})en   their  ears   to  your  sublime  doc- 


1807.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  41 

trines.  But  if  you  preach  Christ  and  Him  crucified,  while 
you  walk  yourselves  carnally  and  as  other  men,  you  will  bring 
a  curse  on  the   undertaking,   and  expose  the   doctrine  of  the 

Cross  to  contempt  and  ridicule. 

******* 

"  I  now  recommend  you  all,  dear  brethren,  to  our  gracious 
(lod.  May  you  stand  fast  together,  striving  to  glorify  Him  by 
whose  blood  you  have  been  redeemed,  and  about  whose  great 
work  you  are  engaged. 

"  Believe  me,  ever  yours, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 

The  cause  of  the  unhappy  state  into  which  the  Mis- 
sion had  been  brought  was  at  length  traced  to  the 
right  source.  The  issue  was,  the  separation  of  the 
offending  party  from  the  Society ;  an  extreme  mea- 
sure, to  which  it  has  very  rarely  been  necessary  to 
resort  through  the  whole  period  of  the  Society's 
existence  to  the  present  day. 

Mr.  Pratt  wrote  privately  to  each  of  the  Missiona- 
ries in  a  manner  which  displayed  his  knowledge  of 
human  nature,  and  his  discrimination  of  character. 
The  enemy  had  been  amongst  them ;  and  their 
natural  dispositions  had,  even  in  spite  of  their 
Christian  graces,  manifested  themselves  in  the  trying 
hour.  His  object  in  writing  was  to  acquaint  them  of 
the  decision  of  the  Committee,  and  to  attempt  to 
restore  peace  and  concord,  by  encouraging  the  timid, 
admonishing  the  hasty,  and  commending  the  patient. 

In  a  general  letter,  written  to  all  four  of  them,  he 
notices  the  "cordial  and  affectionate  spirit"  which 
their  last  letters  appeared  to  breathe ;  but,  lest  any 
remains   of  unpleasant  feeling  should   lurk  in   their 


42  WEST-AFRICA  MISSION.  [Chap.  III. 

hearts,  be  cautions  them  that  outward  harmony  could 
not  hv  long  maintained  unless  this  cordial  and  affec- 
tionate spirit  were  deep  seated  and  sincere. 

"  London,  Oct.  19,  1807. 
'•  ir  there  be  any  consciousness  among  you,  of  the  exist- 
ence of  a  contrary  spirit,  that  7nafit,  by  the  grace  of  God,  be 
u'huUy  subdued,  or  the  Mission  will  be  injured,  your  friends 
arieved,  and  your  persons  endangered.  As  you  value  the 
honour  of  your  Master's  name,  and  the  salvation  of  your  own 
souls,  cultivate  a  spirit  of  determined  and  mutual  forbearance. 
Pray  with  increasing  lunnility  and  earnestness,  that  your  Great 
Head  would  render  you  like  Himself,  and  like  His  great  Apo- 
stle, and  endue  you  with  His  Spirit  in  full  measure.     Let  not  a 

second  disgrace  attend  the  Mission  in  Africa.     Let 's  fall 

be  a  warning  and  lesson  to  every  one.  Oh  !  pray  for  that 
grace  of  '  charity  which  suflereth  long,  and  is  kind  ;  which 
envieth  not,  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not  be- 
have itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  her  own,  is  not  easily  pro- 
voked, beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things, 
endureth  all  things.'  For  'he  that  lacketh  these  things  is  blind 
and  cannot  see  afar  otf ;  and  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged 
from  his  old  sins.'  " 

The  tone  of  the  replies  which  the  brethren  sent  to 
these  letters,  sufficiently  shews  how  well  they  promoted 
the  good  end  in  view. 

After  various  journeys  had  been  made  among  the 
Susoos  and  Mandingoes,  a  tribe  almost  wholly  Maho- 
medan,  two  settlements  were  commenced  in  1808  by 
three  of  the  -Missionaries  ;  one  at  Fantimania  (after- 
wards called  Canoffee,)  on  the  Rio  Pongas ;  the  other 
at  Bashia,  lower  down  the  river.  A  large  house  had 
been  offered  at  the  latter  of  these  places  by  a  slave- 
dealer,  on  condition  that  the  Missionaries  would  edu- 


1809.]  DEATH  OF  THE  MISSIONARY,  I'RASSE.  43 

cate  his  children.  The  Committee  approved  of  their 
gathering  together  for  education  all  the  children  of 
every  class,  native  or  not,  into  their  settlement,  and 
doing  all  the  good  they  could  in  any  way  that  pre- 
sented itself. 

Every  thing  seemed  now  to  promise  well.  The 
Missionaries  were  fairly  settled  down  in  the  very 
midst  of  the  Heathen ;  and  by  their  schools,  and  by 
books,  they  were  preparing  to  diffuse  a  knowledge  of 
the  Gospel.  But  no  sooner  were  they  entering,  as  it 
seemed,  with  new  and  bright  prospects  of  success, 
upon  the  work  and  labour  of  love  for  which  they  had 
left  their  native  land,  than  they  were  called  to  mourn 
over  the  departure  of  one  of  their  happy  company  to 
his  heavenly  rest.  His  "  simplicity  of  character  and 
piety"  seemed  to  promise  great  future  usefulness. 

Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  the  brethren  upon  this  occa- 
sion : — 

"London,  June  24,  1809. 
"It  grieves  us  much  to  hear  of  the  death  of  Brother  Prasse. 
This  calls  for  patience  and  silent  submission.  It  seems  to  our 
feeble  minds  extraordinary  that  he  should  be  led  through  a 
long  course  of  preparation  for  the  Missionary  work,  and  then  be 
taken  away  just  as  he  was  getting  into  the  field  of  labour.  But 
there  are  wise  and  gracious  reasons  for  it,  which  we  do  not 
see.  '  What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  slialt  know 
hereafter.'  In  the  mean  time,  *  Follow  thou  me ;'  this  is  our 
Lord's  language  to  you  and  to  us  all.  May  this  Providence, 
which  has  withdrawn  one  of  your  fellow-labourers,  quicken 
your  own  diligence  and  zeal !  May  the  same  mind  be  more 
abundantly  in  you  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus,  when  He 
said,  '  I  must  work  the  works  of  Him  that  sent  me  while  it  is 
day  :  the  night  cometh,  when  no  man  can  work  ! '  " 


44 


WEST-Al'lUC'A  MISSION.  [Cmai'.  III. 


Two  more  Missionaries  left  for  Sierra  Leone  in 
July  18(M>.  On  their  arrival,  one  of  them  suffered  so 
severely  from  fever,  that  he  had  scarcely  reached  the 
settlement  in  which  he  was  to  labour,  before  he  too  was 
summoned  to  his  rest.  He  died  Feb.  2, 1810,  and  was 
buried  in  the  garden  of  the  settlement  at  Fantimania, 

The  Abolition  of  the  Slave  Trade  seemed  at  first  to 
be  working  a  rapid  improvement  in  the  condition  of 
West  Africa;  but  this  favourable  state  of  things  began 
to  decline  for  a  time  by  the  partial  revival  of  the  ini- 
quitous traffic,  carried  on,  as  it  was,  under  the  show 
of  a  foreign  flag.  The  Missionaries  were  much  hin- 
dered and  discouraged  by  this  unhappy  reverse.  Their 
school,  however,  at  Bashia,  which  amounted  to  40  chil- 
dren by  the  end  of  1809,  increased  to  120  boys  and 
girls  by  the  close  of  1811.  These  children  were  partly 
natives,  and  partly  the  offspring  of  the  slave-dealers 
themselves,  who  maintained  their  children  in  theschool. 
It  appeared,  from  a  variety  of  causes,  that  little  suc- 
cess could  be  expected  with  the  adults,  particularly  on 
a  coast  where  the  Slave  Trade  had  ruined  the  morals 
and  debased  all  the  better  feelings  of  men.  The 
improvement  in  the  schools  was  therefore  a  cheering 
token  of  success  in  the  midst  of  discouragements.  In 
October  181 1  two  more  Missionaries  from  Berlin  left 
England  to  join  their  brethren  in  their  labours :  these 
were  the  ciglith  and  ninth  sent  out  by  the  Society.  On 
the  20th  of  January  1812  they  reached  Bashia,  where 
they  were  heartily  welcomed.  They  took  out  with 
tliem  a  printing-press  and  a  quantity  of  paper.  About 
the  same  time  the  Rev.  Mr.  Butscher  came  home,  by 


1812.]  MORE  DEATHS.  45 

desire  of  the  Committee,  partly  on  account  of  his 
health,  and  partly  that  they  might  confer  with  him 
upon  the  affairs  of  the  Mission.  He  brought  home 
the  melancholy  tidings  that  death  was  still  visiting 
the  settlements.  One  of  the  Missionaries  had  lost  his 
wife  in  December  1810;  and  now  intelligence  was 
brought  of  the  death  of  the  wife  of  another  about  a 
year  later.  These  occurrences  are  thus  noticed  in  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Pratt  to  the  brethren,  dated  April  27, 
1812:— 

"  Your  letters  inform  us  of  the  trial  to  which  God  has 
called  Brother  Wenzel,  in  bereaving  him  of  his  affectionate 
wife.  The  Committee  feel  much  for  him  in  this  his  affliction ; 
but  ti'ust  God  will  enable  him  to  submit  quietly  to  all  the 
strokes  of  his  fatherly  rod.  What  shall  we  say  to  these 
things  ?  The  brethren  Prasse  and  Barneth,  and  their  sisters 
in  Christian  labours,  lay  their  dust  on  the  shore  of  Africa  ;  but 
shall  we  be  discouraged  ?  No  ;  while  we  would  enforce  caution 
on  you  all  in  exposing  yourselves  to  the  dangers  of  the  cli- 
mate, we  would  say,  '  Their  sacred  remains  have  taken  posses- 
sion of  the  land.' 

"  Surely  God  has  a  great  work  to  accomplish  by  your  means. 
The  prospects  opened  before  us,  in  regard  to  the  children,  by 
the  communications  of  the  brethren  Renner,  Butscher,  and 
Wenzel,  fill  our  hearts  with  joy.  We  are  anxious  to  follow 
up  these  good  openings.  We  have  engaged  two  students,  now 
at  Berlin,  who  will  soon  come  over  to  this  country,  and  will 
join  you  in  Africa,  after  staying  a  due  time  under  Mr.  Scott's* 
care." 


*  The  Rev.  Thomas  Scott  from  1808  to  181-4  undertook  the  preparation 
of  the  Missionaries  of  the  Society  for  their  labours,  after  leaving  Cier- 
many.     The  students  here  referred  to  went  to  India. 


46 


WEST-AFKICA  MISSION.  [Cum-.  III. 


Towards  tlie  close  of  1812  a  third  settlement  was 
established  at  Yongroo,  on  the  shore  opposite  Sierra 
Leone,  among  the  Biilloms,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nylander, 
the  ^Missionary  who  had  acted  for  nearly  five  years  as 
Chajjlain  to  the  Colony  ;  and  Mr.  Butscher  was  au- 
thorized, on  his  return,  in  co-operation  wdth  his 
brethren  in  Africa,  to  erect  a  fourth  on  the  Rio  Dem- 
bia,  a  river  about  thirty  miles  south  of  Rio  Pongas. 
He  had  been  urgently  invited  to  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try by  William  Fernandez,  a  man  of  considerable  in- 
fluence, and  chief  of  the  district.  This  settlement 
was  not  commenced  till  1814,  when  it  received  the 
name  of  Gambler,  after  the  noble  President  of  the  So- 
ciety. 

Upon  his  return  to  Africa,  Mr.  Butscher  was  accom- 
j)anied  by  Richard  Wilkinson,  a  native  youth  whom 
he  had  brought  over  with  him,  and  three  pious  lay- 
men of  the  Lutheran  communion,  accustomed  to 
farming  and  useful  occupations.  In  preparation  for 
assisting  in  the  concerns  of  the  Mission,  and  augment- 
ing its  influence  upon  the  natives,  they  had  learnt 
the  arts  of  boat-building,  twine-spinning  and  rope- 
making,  and  smiths'  work.  They  embarked  on  the 
19th  of  Nov.  1812  at  the  Motherbank,  whither  Mr.  Pratt 
accompanied  them,  after  having  laid  himself  out  in 
every  way  he  could  to  furnish  them  with  whatever  was 
likely  to  contribute  to  their  comfort  on  the  voyage, 
and  to  promote  their  usefulness  in  their  respective 
callings.  The  vessel  was  wrecked  off  the  Rio  Pon- 
gas, l)ut  the  Missionaries  escaped  safely  to  shore. 
Ml-.  Pratt  and  his  friends  had  become  so  chastened  in 


1812.]  WEST-AFRICA  MISSION.  47 

their  expectations,  that  they  were  not  cast  down  by 
this  calamity,  but  hoped  for  the  future  ;  "  well  know- 
ing," as  he  writes,  "  that  these  trials  of  faith  and 
patience  are  to  be  expected ;  and  that  they  com- 
monly attend  the  early  stages  of  those  designs  to  pro- 
mote the  Divine  glory,  which  become  in  the  end  per- 
manently successful."  And  here  we  must  quit  the 
West-Africa  Mission  for  a  time. 

During  these  proceedings  with  reference  to  its  first 
Mission,  the  Society  was  beginning  to  direct  its  atten- 
tion to  other  parts  of  the  heathen  world,  chiefly  to 
New  Zealand,  as  will  be  noticed  in  a  future  Chapter. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

1804-1812. 

(  HANOK     OF       CLKUICAL       OCCUPATIONS  —  A PPOINTMKNT       TO       SIR     GEORCK 

WIIELEr's  chapel NOTICES    OF    SIR    T.  F.  BUXTON    AND     MR.  HOARE  — 

INTERCOURSE  WITH  HENRY  MARTYN PUBLICATION  OF  THE    WORKS  OF 

BISHOPS  UALL    AND    HOPKINS  —  UNSUCCESSFUL    ATTEMPT   TO   PUBLISH    A 

POLYGLOT     BIBLE LETTER      OF     HENRY     MARTYN  — MR.  CECIl's    WORKS 

— THOUGHTS  IN   RETIREMENT. 

But  amidst  his  abundant  labours  in  behalf  of  Reli- 
gious Societies,  Mr.  Pratt  was  actively  engaged  in  the 
work  of  the  Ministry.  He  continued  to  be  Assistant 
Minister  to  Mr.  Cecil,  at  St.  John's  Chapel,  Bedford 
Row,  till  the  beginning  of  1804,  when  he  resigned  that 
charge  in  consequence  of  being  chosen  Sunday-After- 
noon Lecturer  at  St.  Mary  Woolnoth's,  Lombard 
Street,  of  which  the  Rev.  John  Newton  was  Rector. 

In  September  of  the  same  year,  he  began  to  preach 
the  Evening  Lecture  at  Spitalfields  Church,  the 
election  to  which  is  triennial.  And  in  the  December 
following  he  was  appointed  Lady  Campden's  Lec- 
turer at  the  Church  of  St.  Lawrence  Jewry,  Guildhall, 
which  was  then  on  Thursday,  but  afterwards  changed 
to  Wednesday  Evening. 

About  a  year  after  this,  the  Rev.  W.  A.  Gunn,  Curate 
to  Mr.  Newton,  died  ;  and  Mr.  Pratt  succeeded  him. 
Mr.  Newton  was  become,  through  age  and  infirmity, 
too  feeble  to  perform  any  duty  himself ;  and  Mr.  Pratt 
therefore  took  the  Morning  Service  for  him.  For  a 
considerable  part  of  the  year  1807,  he  preached  regu- 


1807.]  CLERICAL  OCCUPATIONS.  49 

larly  four  times  in  the  week  :  on  Sundays,  at  St.  Mary 
Woolnotli,  in  the  morning  and  afternoon ;  at  Spital- 
fields  Church  in  the  evening  ;  and  on  Thursdays  at 
St.  Lawrence  Jewry.  These  multiplied  calls  upon 
him  were,  however,  soon  diminished ;  for  in  Septem- 
ber 1807  the  period  for  which  he  held  the  Lecture  in 
Spitalfields  terminated ;  on  which  occasion  the  After- 
noon Lecture  at  St.  Mary  Woolnoth  was  transferred 
to  the  evening.  And  besides  this,  the  death  of  Mr. 
Newton  in  December  of  the  same  year  relieved  Mr. 
Pratt  of  his  Curacy,  and  therefore  of  the  Morning 
Service ;  and  his  clerical  duties  were,  for  about  two 
years,  confined  to  the  Evening  Lectureships  on  Sun- 
days and  Thursdays. 

These  two  Lectureships  he  retained  for  many  years  ; 
not  resigning  them  till  increasing  age  and  other  en- 
gagements seemed  to  point  out  that  it  was  the  will  of 
God  that  he  should  do  so.  He  gathered  around  him 
in  these  churches  many  who  grew,  under  his  solid 
and  scriptural  ministrations,  to  a  blessed  maturity  of 
Christian  character ;  and  who  will  be  his  "  joy  and 
crown  of  rejoicing  ....  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  at  His  coming." 

One  who  was  at  a  subsequent  period  associated  with 
Mr.  Pratt  in  some  of  his  Ministerial  and  Missionary 
labours,  and  who  well  knew  how  to  appreciate  his 
edifying  discourses,  thus  retraces  the  impression  they 
made  upon  himself.  After  speaking  of  Mr.  Pratt's  in- 
defatigable industry  in  the  work  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society — at  a  period  we  have  not  yet  reached 
in  our  narrative — he  says : — 

£ 


50  EVENING  LECTURES.  [Chap.  IV. 

''  He  was  occupied  in  the  Missionary  work  at  the  Church 
Missionary  House,  often  from  ten  in  the  morning  till  after  ten  or 
later  at  night.  I  have  seen  him  on  the  Wednesday,  wdien  im- 
portant Missionary  work  was  on  his  mind,  thus  working  till 
almost  the  last  moment  for  going  to  his  Lecture  [at  St.  Law- 
rence's] ;  walk  by  himself  there  that  he  might  have  a  little  time 
for  meditation  and  prayer,  and  then  pour  out  from  the  fulness 
of  his  mind  a  refreshing  stream  of  Christian  truth  and  expe- 
rience ;  and  return  to  his  desk  at  the  Church  Missionary  House 
till  near  eleven,  that  the  weighty  interests  of  the  Missions  might 
not  suffer." 

And  again  : — 

"  He  delighted  in  unfolding  those  evangelical  doctrines 
which  are  so  fully  set  forth  in  the  Epistles.  I  yet  treasure  in 
my  recollection  sermons  which  I  heard  from  him  above  thirty 
years  since,  at  the  Lecture  of  St.  Mary  Woolnoth,  full  of  hea- 
venly instruction  and  holy  unction,  and  the  opening  out  of 
Scripture  in  its  connection,  in  w^hich  he  ever  delighted."* 

Li  his  Evening  Lectures  he  had  ample  scope  for 
tlie  public  exercise  of  his  ministry  ;  while  being  free 
from  the  calls  of  a  pastoral  charge,  his  whole  time, 
except  such  of  it  as  was  occupied  in  the  preparation 
of  his  sermons,  was  available  for  those  great  objects 
to  which  he  had  already  devoted  himself  with  so  much 
energy.  The  character  of  his  congregations,  also,  was 
such  as  to  encourage  him  ;  and  to  make  his  weekly 
ministrations  a  refreshment  to  his  own  soul.  Many  of 
his   hearers   were   persons   far    advanced    upon    the 


*  lU'v.  Edward  Bickcrstetli's  Funeral  Sermon  on  the  Deatli  of  Mr. 
Pratt,  pp.  14.  21. 


1810.]  SIR  GEORGE  WHELER'S  CHAPEL.  51 

heavenly  road,  who — to  reverse  the  Apostle's  words — 
"  had  need  of  strong  meat,  and  not  of  milk." 

In  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1809,  it  w^as  considered 
by  a  few  friends  that  Sir  George  Wheler's  Chapel  in 
Spital  Square  might  be  a  good  sphere  of  usefulness,  if 
the  appointment  could  be  obtained.  These  friends 
conferred  with  William  Cardale,  Esq.,  of  Bedford  Row, 
and  fixed  upon  Mr.  Pratt  as  a  desirable  person  for 
their  Minister.  Having  obtained  his  approbation,  they 
then  intimated  to  the  Patron,  Hastings  Wheler,  Esq., 
that  they  were  ready  to  put  the  Chapel  into  good  re- 
pair, provided  he  w'ould  present  the  person  of  their 
choice.  To  this  he  consented  ;  and  in  February,  1810, 
Mr.  Pratt  was  licensed  to  the  Chapel  by  the  Bishop 
of  London  (Dr.  Randolph),  and  on  the  following  Sun- 
day read  himself  in.  The  Chapel  had  been  shut  up 
for  some  time,  and  was  not  in  a  condition  to  accom- 
modate a  Congregation  :  a  few  friends  attended,  and 
a  pew  was  swept  out  for  their  reception.  There  was 
no  Sermon.  The  repairs  were  immediately  begun ; 
and  at  the  expense  of  1100/.,  which  sum  was  raised  by 
voluntary  contributions,  the  Chapel  was  substantially 
repaired  and  beautified,  and  an  organ  erected.  It  was 
opened  for  Public  Worship  in  the  following  October. 
The  Spitalfields  Benevolent  Society  was  soon  after 
established,  in  connection  with  the  congregation,  for 
visiting  and  relieving  the  sick  poor  of  Spitalfields, 
and  has  proved  a  great  blessing  to  the  neighbourhood. 

In  this  chapel  Mr.  Pratt  continued  his  ministrations 
till  1826,  through  a  period  of  sixteen  years. 

It  was  shortly  after  his  engaging  in  this  new  duty 

E  2 


;,o  SIR  T.  F.  BUXTON.  [Chap.  IV. 

that  he  became  acquainted  with  the  late  Sir  Thomas 
Fowell  (then  Mr.)  Buxton,  under  circumstances  which 
are  thus  narrated  by  the  Rev.  John  Garwood,  in  a 
funeral  sermon  on  occasion  of  the  death  of  Sir  Fowell. 
The  sermon  was  preached  at  Wheler  Chapel  (now  St. 
Mary's  Church)  about  five  months  after  Mr.  Pratt  like- 
wise had  entered  into  rest. 

"  Mr.  Buxton  had,  in  the  year  1808,  come  to  reside  in  Spital- 
fields.  He  was  baptized  in  the  Church  of  Eni^land  in  his  in- 
ftmcy,  by  desire  of  his  father,  who  was  a  member  of  that 
Church ;  but  by  the  death  of  his  father  when  he  was  very 
young,  he  had  fallen  to  the  especial  charge  of  his  mother,  who 
was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends ;  and  having  afterwards 
himself  married  a  Friend,  and  retaining  at  this  time  a  degree  of 
partiality  for  some  of  the  practices  of  that  estimable  body  of 
individuals,  he  was  led  to  attend  the  Friends'  Meeting  in  De- 
vonshire House,  Bishopsgate,  and  continued  to  do  so,  together 
with  his  wife,  till  the  year  1811,  the  same  year  in  which  he  be- 
came a  partner  in  the  brewery. 

"  In  that  year  they  were  persuaded  by  an  excellent  clergy- 
man, with  whom  they  were  intimately  connected,  to  attend  this 
place  of  worship,  then  called  Wheler  Chapel,  Mr.  Pratt  having 
in  that  year  entered  upon  his  ministry  here.  And  most  bene- 
ficial to  them  was  the  result,  as  well  as  to  other  members, 
direct  or  indirect,  of  their  family  ;  many  of  whom,  together  with 
the  widow  of  the  deceased,  were  baptized  [by  Mr.  Pratt]  within 
these  walls  as  adults,  having  been  previously  members  of,  or 
connected  with,  the  Society  of  Friends  ;  several  of  whom  have 
testified  to  me  on  this  occasion  how  great  was  the  profit  which 
they  derived,  and  in  how  lively  a  manner  they  still  bear  in  re- 
collection, different  sermons  which  they  once  heard,  from  our 
dear  father,  Mr.  Pratt. 

"  But  it  was  not  till  the  year  1813  that  Mr.  Buxton  became 
decided  in  his  religious  opinions;  and  in  his  case,  as  in  the 


1811]  SIR  T.  F.  BUXTON.  53 

case  of  so  many  others,  this  is  to  be  distinctly  traced  to  two 
causes — the  ministry  of  the  Word,  and  affliction.  Mr.  Pratt's 
ministry  in  this  place  was  exceedingly  serviceable  to  him,  and 
prepared  his  mind  for  the  teaching  of  God's  providence  in  the 
school  of  trial ;  for  this  year  God  was  pleased  to  visit  him  with 
a  most  alarming  illness,  and  it  was  while  in  these  deep  waters 
that  he  appears  to  have  been  impressed  with  the  evil  of  sin,  the 
emptiness  of  the  world,  and  the  all-sufficiency  of  Jesus  Christ. 
The  ministry  of  the  late  Rev.  Samuel  Crowther,  who  was  then 
Afternoon  Lecturer  at  Bishopsgate  Church,  and  on  whose  after- 
noon lecture  he  was  in  the  habit  of  attending,  was  also  an 
assistance  to  him ;  although  it  was  from  Mr.  Pratt's  ministra- 
tions, that,  under  God,  he  derived  especial  benefit ;  and  so  at- 
tached was  he  to  the  same,  that  he  continued  his  attendance  on 
them  after  he  removed  from  Spitalfields,  and  while  he  resided 
at  Hampstead.  For  ten  years  he  was  a  very  constant  attendant 
here,  and  here  he  first  became  a  regular  communicant,  and  re- 
ceived the  emblems  of  his  Saviour's  dying  love.  The  Rev. 
Edward  Bickersteth  writes  to  me  in  a  letter,  which  he  states 
that  I  am  at  full  liberty  to  use :  '  I  yet  remember  with  deep 
interest  the  dear  and  honoured  face  of  Buxton  in  his  constant 
attendance  at  Wheler  Chapel,  his  marked  devotion,  and  his 
breathless  attention  to  the  rich  treasures  of  Christian  truth  and 
experience  which  our  beloved  Pratt  poured  forth  from  Sabbath 
to  Sabbath.'  " 

While  it  is  evident  from  such  testimonies  that  Mr. 
Pratt's  ministerial  labours  were  deeply  valued,  it  is 
interesting  and  instructive  to  observe  in  what  a  humble 
spirit  he  afterward  looked  back  upon  those  labours. 
Writing  to  his  son  in  India,  between  two  and  three 
years  before  his  death,  he  says : — 

"  London,  January  HI,  1842. 
"  I  wish  I  could  shew  you  a  scene  which  has  just  passed. 
I  was  called  off  from  this  letter  by  a  well-known  voice,  which 


54  MR.   HOARE.  [Chap.  IV. 

1  had  long  ceased  to  hear — Mr.  Hoare's.*  He  lias  just  been 
withdrawn  from  all  business  for  many  months  by  a  paralytic 
attack,  which  has  deprived  him  of  the  use,  in  a  great  degree, 
of  his  left  side  ;  and  he  now  walks  about  under  the  care  of  a 
servant.  But  his  mind  is  in  a  most  heavenly  frame.  What  his 
friends  tell  him  by  way  of  comfort  he  says  is  the  only  thing  which 
disquiets  him :  when  they  say  that  he  looks  well,  they  think 
to  encourage  and  support  him  ;  but  the  thought  that  such  a  shat- 
tered frame  is  to  continue  on  earth  puts  his  patience  to  the  test. 
He  testifies  with  adoring  gratitude  the  spiritual  blessings  which 
he  has  been  brought  to  enjoy,  through  the  blessing  of  God  at 
Wheler  Chapel.  Indeed,  it  is  a  great  consolation  to  me,  in 
looking  back  on  a  long  ministry  of  but  apparently  scanty  effi- 
cacy, that  such  men  as  Mr.  Hoare  and  Sir  T.  F.  Buxton  were 
found  of  God  in  that  place." 

The  constant  occupation  which  Mr.  Pratt  had  in 
matters  which  brought  much  of  secular  labour  with 
them,  was  calculated  in  itself  to  lower  the  tone  of  his 
piety ;  but  it  happily  had  not  that  elTect.  Perhaps 
his  constant  pulpit  ministrations,  and  the  preparation 
which  was  necessary  for  congregations  of  the  matured 
character  already  described,  had,  under  God,  a  large 
share  in  preserving  the  depth  and  fervour  of  his  reli- 
gious affections.  At  this  distance  of  time  it  is  difficult 
to  call  up  witnesses  to  his  every-day  character  in 
the  earlier  years  of  his  long  and  active  life.  One 
l)leasing  intimation,  however,  is  left  on  record  by  the 
Kev.  Henry  Martyn,  who,  in  the  beginning   of  1805, 


*  Sainutl  Hoarc,  Esq.,  of  If ampstead,  brother- in-law  to  Mr.  Buxton, 
wlio  also  with  liis  family  lial)itually  attendciMV^helcr  (.'hapcl :  he  died 
in  l)ecoiiil,er,  104(1. 


180J.]  HENRY  MARTYN.  55 

came  to  town  to  assist  Mr.  Cecil  at  St.  John's  Chapel 
for  six  months,  previously  to  his  sailing  for  India.* 
Mr.  Pratt  had  much  intercourse  with  him  during 
the  time,  and  often  invited  him  to  his  house.  Upon 
quitting  England  Mr.  Martyn  expressed  a  wish  that 
Mr.  Pratt  would  maintain  the  friendly  communica- 
tion, which  had  thus  happily  begun  between  them, 
by  entering  upon  a  regular  correspondence,  which  no- 
thing but  the  numerous  calls  upon  his  time  prevented. 
In  Martyn's  Journals  the  following  notice  occurs : — 
"  May  16, 1805 :  Breakfasted  with  Mr.  Pratt.  Joined 
with  his  family  in  worship.  He  prayed  himself  in  a 
very  simple  and  devout  strain.  My  heart  w  as  full  of 
joy  and  thankfulness  that  a  person  in  his  station  was 
found  so  pious ;" — alluding,  no  doubt,  to  the  circum- 
stance of  his  being  so  much  occupied  with  matters 
involving  secular  details. 

It  might  have  been  expected,  that,  with  such  nume- 
rous avocations  to  occupy  his  time  and  engross  his 
thoughts,  Mr.  Pratt  could  have  but  little  leisure  to 
devote  to  theological  reading.  Yet  he  was  always  a 
student.  Although  he  had  drank  deeply  at  the  foun- 
tain of  Divine  knowledge,  and  was  more  than  ordina- 
rily furnished  "  rightly  to  divide  the  word  of  truth,"  he 
did  not  rest  satisfied  with  present  attainments,  nor  did 
he  feel  justified  in  neglecting  to  furnish  his  mind  with 


*  It  is  not  generally  known,  that  Henry  Martyn  was  at  one  time  en- 
gaged to  go  out  as  a  Missionary  under  the  Church  ]\Iissionary  Society  ; 
but  an  appointment  as  Chaplain  to  the  Honourable  East- India  Company 
being  offered  him,  his  friends  tliought  it  his  duty  to  take  it. — Ninth  Report 
of  the  C.M.S.,  p.  480. 


jfi  WORKS  OF  HALL  AND  HOPKINS.  [Chap.  IV. 

liiiinan  learning  of  every  kind,  as  far  as  higher  duties 
would  allow. 

One  result  of  his  theological  reading  was  his  pub- 
lishing in  1808,  in  ten  octavo  volumes,  the  complete 
works  of  IJishop  Hall,  then  for  the  first  time  collected. 
And  in  1809,  he  published,  in  four  royal  octavo  volumes, 
the  whole  works  of  Bishop  Hopkins.  These  works 
issued  from  the  press  at  a  time  when  little  atten- 
tion was  paid  to  our  older  divines.  They  were 
the  means  of  much  usefulness,  especially  among  the 
clergy. 

The  following  is  his  own  account  of  the  object  he 
had  in  view  in  publishing  Bishop  Hopkins'  works : — 

"  There  is  now  a  daring  attempt,  especially  among  men 
of  letters,  to  misrepresent  real  Christianity,  and  to  expose 
it  to  ridicule,  by  identifying  it  with  the  imbecilities  and  ex- 
travagancies of  all  who  profess  it.  And  this  object,  origi- 
nating sometimes  in  ignorance  and  sometimes  in  ill-will,  is 
pursued  with  unabating  perseverance.  Every  literary  vehicle 
is  pressed  into  the  service ;  from  tlie  grave  volume,  which 
would  reason  a  Christian  out  of  the  creed  for  which  his 
forefathers  bled,  and  which  supplies  his  only  solace  in  life 
and  death,  to  the  flippant  critique,  which  clothes  him  in  a 
Ibol's  dress,  that  he  may  be  pointed  at  with  the  finger  of 
scorn. 

"  In  such  a  day,  it  becomes  a  difficult  but  important  duty 
to  associate  with  unyielding  firmness  in  defence  of  the  truth 
that  candid  and  courteous  spirit  which  the  truth  inspires : 
neither  to  sacrifice  any  part  of  it,  from  timidity  or  a  spirit  of 
undue  acconnnodation,  nor  to  assert  it  against  ignorant  or  ma- 
licious attacks  with  an  unbecoming  temper.  And  that  author 
is  of  especial  value  wliose  works  supply,  within  a  moderate 
compass,  the  most  complete  refutation  of  wliatever  can  be  urged 


1803—1809.1  MORE  PROJECTS.  57 

against  true  religion,  by  exhibiting  her  in  her  most  beautiful 
proportions. 

"  Such  an  author  is  Bishop  Hopkins.  Reason  is  here  seated 
in  her  majesty  while  she  promulgates  the  decrees  of  Divine 
truth  ;  and  Eloquence  is  employed  in  her  legitimate  province 
while  she  enforces  these  decrees." 

It  has  with  much  truth  been  remarked  by  the  pre- 
sent Bishop  of  Calcutta,  "  that  Mr.  Pratt  had  an  en- 
terprising mind,  a  fondness  for  planning  schemes  of 
usefulness,  and  great  tact  in  framing  designations  and 
rules  for  Societies  on  sudden  emergencies."  Several 
exemplifications  of  the  working  of  this  propensity, 
have  already  appeared.  His  schemes,  however,  were 
distinguished  by  this  excellence,  that  they  always  had 
some  practical  and  useful  end  in  view,  and  were  the 
result  of  mature  deliberation  and  extensive  experience. 
His  spirit  of  enterprise  and  his  great  energy  would 
perhaps,  in  the  earlier  years  of  his  career,  have  carried 
him  beyond  the  bounds  of  prudence,  had  not  all  his 
designs  been  moderated  and  directed  by  a  prevailing 
desire  of  doing  good.  His  aim  was,  the  advancement 
of  truth,  and  not  personal  distinction,  from  which  he 
ever  shrank ;  and  therefore  his  desire  for  usefulness 
restrained  the  spirit  of  speculation  from  transgressing 
beyond  its  proper  limits. 

Some  of  his  projects  were  never  made  public,  in 
consequence  of  want  of  leisure  for  bringing  them  to 
maturity.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  a  com- 
pendious and  comprehensive  Commentary  on  the 
Scriptures,  which  he  often  expressed  a  great  desire 
to  see  accomplished  in  such  a  manner  as — by  the  ap- 


5S 


MORE  PROJECTS.  [Chap.  IV 


propriate  (quotation  and  combination  of  apposite  texts 
— to  make  Scripture  its  own  interpreter.  Another 
scheme  which  he  once  hoped  to  take  in  hand  was  a 
hook  on  Biography,  especially  for  the  use  of  the 
Youno".  It  appears  from  a  fragment  found  among  the 
few  papers  he  left,  that  his  design  was,  to  bring  to- 
gether examples  of  true  conversion,  wherever  found. 
On  a  piece  of  paper,  headed  "  Hints  for  Preface,"  the 
following  unfinished  notes  are  written :  they  are  given 
as  shewing  the  truly  Catholic  spirit  which  animated 
him  : — "  I  have  taken  the  most  striking  examples  of 
piety  from  various  Christian  communities :  for  though 
I  am  most  decidedly  a  member  and  Minister  of  the 
Church  of  England,  I  cannot  deny  but  that  the  grace 
of  God,  &c." — we  may  suppose  him  to  add — has  been 
seen  in  its  effects  to  be  vouchsafed  to  the  labours  and 
prayers  of  ministers  of  communions  differing  from  our 
own.  And  then  he  proceeds :  "  I  believe  the  order 
and  discipline  of  the  Church  of  England  to  be  most 
apostolical ;  and,  when  duly  administered,  to  be  at 
once  best  adapted  to  restrain  the  evil  of  the  world, 
and  to  provide  for  the  growth  of  the  Church,  &c." 
This  plan  was,  however,  never  entered  upon,  for 
the  same  reason  that  the  Commentary  was  left  un- 
touched. 

When  once  Mr.  Pratt  decidedly  took  a  matter  in 
hand,  he  rarely  let  it  drop.  There  was  this  happy 
circumstance  attending  all  his  schemes  —  with  per- 
haps only  one  exception — that  he  either  eventually 
carried  them  out  completely  himself,  or  acted  the  part 
of  an   intelligent   pioneer,  and  cleared   the   way  for 


1810.]  POLYGLOT  BIBLE.  59 

others  to  take  up  and  prosecute  the  work  he  had  ori- 
ginated and  brought  to  a  successful  beginning. 

Any  mention  of  the  unsuccessful  scheme  above  al- 
luded to  has  been  reserved  to  this  place,  because  it 
was  about  this  period — in  1810 — attempted  a  second 
time,  but  without  any  better  result.  As  early  as  1797, 
before  Mr.  Pratt  had  completed  his  twenty-ninth  year, 
he  issued  a  Prospectus  for  the  publication  of  a  Poly- 
glot Bible,  in  quarto,  to  contain  the  original  texts, 
with  various  readings,  the  principal  ancient  versions, 
and  the  authorized  English  Translation.  His  object 
was,  not  the  presumptuous  wish,  which  some  seem  at 
the  time  to  have  imputed  to  him,  of  producing  a 
substitute  for  the  renowned  work  of  the  great  Walton, 
— always  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  literary  trophies  of 
our  country ;  but  to  provide  a  work  which,  from  its 
comparative  compactness  and  moderate  expense,  might 
find  its  way  into  the  private  libraries  of  clergymen, 
where  Walton's  volumes  were  never  seen.  There  are 
many  biblical  students  who  derive  considerable  ad- 
vantage from  a  knowledge  of  the  New  Testament  in 
its  original  Greek,  although  incompetent  to  become 
critics.  It  was,  therefore,  Mr.  Pratt's  belief,  that  he 
should  be  conferring  a  boon  upon  such  persons,  if  he 
could  render  accessible  the  whole  Scriptures  in  the 
original  languages  to  that  large  class,  who,  from  a 
conscious  incompetency  to  enter  upon  a  critical  study 
of  the  originals,  shrink  from  encountering  the  pon- 
derous and  expensive  volumes  of  Walton,  but  would 
nevertheless  be  benefited  by  the  use  of  a  more  acces- 
sible and  less  formidable  work. 


60 


POLYGLOT  BIBLE.  [Chap.  IV. 


Walton's  six  volumes  were  published  between  1G53 
and  l()j7.  Twenty  seven  years  after  this,  Father 
Syniou  published  a  Synopsis  of  them,  speaking  of  the 
()ri<Tinal  work  as  Immensum  ilhul  Polycjlottorum  opus. 
In  1715,  Dr.  Wilkins  published  the  Targum  on  the 
Books  of  Chronicles  ;  and  abortive  schemes  were  pro- 
posed for  publishing  other  works,  supplementary  to 
Walton's,  in  1735,  1743,  and  1759.  "  The  next  great 
attempt,"  as  the  biographer*  of  Walton  calls  it,  was 
Mr.  Pratt's,  "  which  also  failed,  or  was  not  supported." 
A  severe  critique  on  the  Prospectus  appeared  in  the 
British  Critic,  "  not  so  much,"  as  it  has  been  said,  "  in 
the  spirit  of  mending  faults,  as  of  finding  them."  A 
kinder  notice  was  given  in  the  Monthly  Review,  and  a 
suggestion  made  by  the  writer  was  followed  out  by 
Mr.  Pratt,  by  publishing,  in  1799,  specimens  in  octavo, 
instead  of  quarto.  But  although  the  design  was 
strongly  recommended  by  Bishop  Barrington,  and 
urged  by  Parkhurst  and  other  biblical  scholars,  the 
whole  affair  fell  to  the  ground.  Much  time  and 
labour  had  been  devoted  during  several  years  in  pre- 
paring materials  for  the  work,  and  in  acquiring  the 
information  requisite  for  conducting  it.  Mr.  Pratt 
was  therefore  very  glad,  in  1810,  to  have  the  prospect 
of  his  toil  at  length  turning  to  account,  when  Dr.  Adam 
Clarke  renewed  the  attempt.  The  business  of  the 
Bible  Society  brought  this  gentleman  and  Mr.  Pratt 
together.  They  drew  up,  in  concert,  a  plan  for  the 
l)ul)lication  of  a  new  edition  of  Walton's  work,  which 


*  Todd's  J.ilc  of  Walton,  Vol.  I.  Appendix. 


1810.]  POLYGLOT  BIBLE.  61 

they  communicated  to  a  few  literary  friends.    The  bio- 
grapher of  Dr.  Clarke  tells  us,  that — 

"  A  meeting  was  held,  by  appointment,  at  the  house  of  Lord 
Teignmouth,  in  Portman  Square,  which  was  attended  by  his 
liordship  himself,  Dr.  Burgess,  then  Bishop  of  St.  David's, 
Dr.  Williams  of  Rotherham,  Mr.  Professor  Shakespeare,  Arch- 
deacon Wrangham,  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  and  Dr.  Adam  Clarke. 
It  was  agreed  that  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  should  furnish  a  specimen 
sheet  in  royal  folio,  and  another  in  octavo,  for  more  convenient 
distribution.  These  were  to  be  sent  to  persons  in  authority. 
Lord  Teignmouth  undertook  to  forward  one  to  each  Lay  Lord  ; 
the  Bishop  of  St.  David's  promised  to  present  one  to  every 
Lord  Spiritual ;  and  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  through  the  Speaker, 
to  put  one  into  the  hands  of  the  different  Members  of  the  House 
of  Commons.  The  plan  was  accordingly  printed  and  distri- 
buted ;  and,  at  Dr.  Clarke's  suggestion,  the  Bishops  were  to  be 
requested  to  patronise  and  preside  over  the  work,  and  to  ap- 
point all  the  scholars  who  should  be  employed.  All  appeared 
in  a  fair  train  for  a  successful  issue.  Some  of  the  Lords  Spi- 
ritual and  Tempoi'al  entered  warmly  into  the  project.  Dr. 
Clarke  and  Mr.  Pratt  corresponded  with  learned  men  on  the 
Continent,  and  engaged  them  to  undertake  distinct  depart- 
ments in  the  execution  of  the  work.  Several  private  gentlemen 
offered,  most  munificently,  to  supply  pecuniary  aid.  Among 
these  were  Dr.  Williams,  of  Rotherham,  who  promised  to  give 
30/.  per  annum  for  seven  years ;  Mr.  Spear,  of  Milbrook,  50/. 
per  annum  for  ditto ;  and  the  late  Joseph  Butterworth,  Esq., 
50/.  for  the  same  period,  beside  500/.  which  he  liberally  pro- 
mised towards  the  expenses  of  the  first  volume.  ♦  *  *  But, 
alas !  from  various  causes  which  need  not  be  particularized,  it 
fell  through  between  them."  * 


Life  and  Labours  of  Adam  Clarke,  LL.D.,  Second  Edition,  p.  150. 


g2  POLYGLOT  BIBLE.  [Chap.  IV. 

Mr.  Pratt  appears  to  have  written  on  the  subject 
to  Mr.  Martyn ;  for  although  no  such  letter  is 
on  record,  the  following  reply  to  one  has  recently 
been  recovered  from  a  bundle  of  papers,  among 
which  it  has  lain  hidden  for  years.  It  is  here  intro- 
duced, in  a  great  measure,  on  account  of  the  in- 
terest which  attaches  to  every  thing  connected  with 
the  memory  of  the  beloved  writer.  Two  objects 
appear  to  have  been  in  Mr.  Pratt's  mind  in  writing ; 
as  the  letter  alludes  not  only  to  the  Polyglot,  but  to 
a  work  which  he  seems  to  have  been  designing  upon 
Missionary  matters.  We  gather  from  this  reply,  that 
he  applied  to  Mr.  Martyn  to  furnish  him  with  informa- 
tion from  the  East  to  assist  him  in  compiling  such  a 
work. 

Rev.  Henry  Martyn  to  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt. 

"Bombay,  Fth.  18,  IBll. 
"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND  AND  BROTHER — 

"Your  very  acceptable  letter  of  the  4th  of  June,  1810, 
reached  me  at  a  time  when  I  was  too  busy  to  give  it  the  atten- 
tion it  deserved.  I  call  it  acceptable,  because  it  seemed  dic- 
tated by  that  affectionate  regard  which  you  always  manifested 
for  me,  but  which  I  thought  time  and  distance  must  have 
lessened.  The  place,  also,  from  which  it  was  written  gave  it 
an  additional  interest.  How  I  envy  you  the  enjoyment  of  such 
society,  the  value  of  which,  alas !  I  was  never  sensible  of  till 
I  moved  out  into  the  earth. 

"  But  now  to  the  point.  Will  I,  or  can  I,  be  of  any  use  to 
you  in  your  projected  work  ?  That  I  am  ready  to  every  good 
word  and  work  is  more  than  I  can  say  ;  but  certainly  to  yours 
I  am  willing  to  lend  a  helping  hand.  At  present,  however,  I 
am  not  prepared;  and  to  prove  it,  I  need  only  tell  you,  that 
when  I  had  occasion  to  preach  a  sermon  lately  at  Calcutta  on 


1811.]  LETTER  FROM  HENRY  MARTYN.  63 

the  state  of  the  Native  Christians  of  India,  the  on!}'  information 
almost  to  be  obtained  was  from  printed  accounts.  I  fully  ex- 
pected, on  my  arrival  at  Goa,  that  I  should  obtain  from  the 
Roman-Catholic  Primate  of  India  all  the  information  on  the 
subject  which  I  could  desire  ;  but  he  was  not  to  be  seen,  nor 
any  one  else  of  the  Portuguese  who  was  worth  seeing.  It  ap- 
pears, however,  from  all  I  could  learn,  that  I  have  rather  un- 
derrated the  Christians  than  overrated  them,  as  in  the  Portu- 
guese territories  at  Goa  alone  there  are  200,000  Christians. 
"We  know  nothing  about  Christianity  in  India  :  take  it  in  its 
most  extensive  sense,  as  the  religion  of  all  who  are  baptized, 
and  we  can  do  no  more  than  guess  at  the  extent  to  which  it 
has  spread.  As  to  the  Baptist  Mission,  consider  what  an 
office  you  assign  me,  my  dear  friend,  in  appointing  me  to  in- 
spect it.  First,  I  am  not  qualified  to  fill  the  post  on  account 
of  distance  from  them,  and  for  other  reasons,  such  as  not 
knowing  the  language  their  converts  speak ;  and,  secondly,  if 
I  were  able,  I  am  not  willing.  You  must  have  heard  how  dis- 
satisfied they  are  with  the  Chaplains,  as  far  as  I  can  see,  with- 
out reason.  What  would  they  be  if  they  knew  that  any  of  us 
were  publishing  remarks  upon  them  in  England.  Besides,  the 
accounts  of  the  different  Missionary  Societies  are  printed  ;  and 
they,  I  conceive,  will  be  your  only  authentic  documents.  If 
any  thing  comes  to  my  knowledge  which  is  not  likely  to  appear 
in  print,  you  shall  have  it. 

"  I  do  not  quite  apprehend  the  nature  of  your  work ;  but  I 
hope  it  will  rather  be  to  select  than  to  collect.  Sum  up  the 
evidence  like  an  impartial  judge ;  and  setting  aside  all  that 
means  nothing,  direct  your  readers'  attention  to  what  is  positive 
and  substantial  in  the  different  accounts.  Sometimes  you  may 
find  puffs  instead  of  proofs.  Prick  the  bladder,  that  it  may  go 
down  and  appear  with  its  true  dimensions.  Beseech  all  good 
men  all  the  earth  over,  not  to  tell  lies  for  God's  sake.  Let  the 
Romish  Missionaries  do  it ;  but  our  glorious  cause  will  stand 
without  such  props.     Highly-coloured  representations,  leaving 


G4  LETTER  FROM  HENRY  MARTYN.  [Chap.  IV. 

ail  iiiiprossion  on  the  mind  wliich  the  fact  does  not  justify,  you 
will  oftiMi  find,  and  must,  if  you  can,  as  often  expose. 

"  In  mentioning  the  Polyglot  you  touched  another  fibre  of 
my  heart.  I  have  not  the  smallest  expectation  of  ever  seeing 
it  begun  ;  so  that  all  I  say  about  the  subject  is  out  of  pure 
love,  which  would  rather  talk  about  a  phantom  than  say  no- 
thing. Well,  first,  you  will  never  get  the  Bishops  to  patronize 
it,  because  you  and  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  are  not  High  Church ; 
nor  the  Universities,  for  they  know  well  enough  that  they  have 
not  Biblical  learning  enough  in  their  own  bodies  for  such  an 
undertaking,  and,  consequently,  will  not  believe  that  it  exists 
elsewhere.  Next,  what  is  the  use  of  the  intended  Polyglot  ? 
If  it  contain  the  ancient  versions  only,  it  is  exclusively  for  the 
learned,  for  whom  there  are  copies  enough  of  the  old ;  and 
what  improvements  can  there  be  in  the  new  but  Kennicott's 
dilierent  readings,  and  the  last  edition  of  the  LXX  ?  If  you 
add  modern  versions,  the  work  will  need  our  Oriental  transla- 
tions before  it  be  complete,  and  those  you  must  not  expect  for 
some  years. 

"  I  expect  that  by  and  by  there  will  be  two  Polyglots,  the 
ancient  and  modern.  The  different  views  which  modern  Euro- 
pean translators  have  had  of  different  texts  would  throw  much 
light  upon  them.  The  last  Geneva  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, for  instance,  is  to  me  a  more  complete  commentary  than 
Poole's  Synopsis.  They  are  very  bold,  and  no  doubt  err 
sometimes,  but  they  nowhere  leave  their  text  dark  and  am- 
biguous. 

"  In  your  last  Report  you  mentioned  Nathaniel  Sabat  and 
his  book.  As  to  the  latter,  I  throttled  it  at  its  birth  ;  but 
alarmed  at  the  publicity  you  have  given  it,  I  have  used  means 
to  bring  it  to  life,  and  I  am  happy  to  say  that  it  breathes  again, 
and  so  do  I ;  but  I  beg  you,  in  future,  to  remember  the  proverb 
about  reckoning  the  chickens  before  they  are  hatched. 

"  These  cautions  premised,  my  dear  brother,  I  commend  you 
to  God  and  the  word  of  His  grace.     May  He  grant  you  an 


1811]  LETTER  FROM  HENRY  MARTYN.  G5 

abundant  blessing  on  all  yoiu-  works  and  labours  of  love,  in 
your  ministry,  in  your  family,  and  your  own  soul. 

"  Believe  me  to  be,  yours  ever  affectionately, 

"  H.  Maktyn." 

This  letter  must  have  been  one  of  the  last  which 
Mr.  Martyn  wrote  before  finally  quitting  India,  as  he 
embarked  shortly  after  for  Persia,  where  he  died. 
The  cheerful,  and  friendly,  and  even  sportive  style  in 
which  it  is  written,  leaves  a  very  pleasing  impression 
upon  the  mind,  of  the  amiableness  of  Mr.  Martyn's 
character. 

The  reference  to  a  work  on  Missions,  is  the  first  in- 
timation anywhere  found  of  the  Missionary  Register, 
a  monthly  periodical  which  Mr.  Pratt  projected,  with 
a  view  of  circulating  information  of  the  proceedings  of 
all  the  principal  Missionary  and  Bible  Societies  through- 
out the  world,  and  of  all  other  institutions  which  tend 
to  promote  the  civilization  and  conversion  of  the  hea- 
then. As  his  own  letter  to  Mf .  Martyn,  seeking  his 
assistance,  was  dated  the  4th  of  June,  1810,  the  design 
appears  to  have  been  more  than  two  years  upon  his 
mind,  before  he  was  able  to  carry  it  into  effect.  This 
may  have  arisen  in  part  from  the  delay  in  the  arrival 
of  Mr.  Martyn's  answer ;  for  this,  as  the  postmark 
proves,  did  not  reach  England  till  the  27th  of  March, 
1812,  nearly  two  years  after  Mr.  Pratt  had  written. 

But  there  were  other  causes  w^hich  appear  to  have 
compelled  him  to  defer  entering  upon  this  new  occu- 
pation. In  August,  1810,  the  Rev.  Richard  Cecil,  after 
a  protracted  illness,  was  called  away  to  his  eternal 
rest ;  and  Mr.  Pratt  undertook  to  prepare  his  "Works" 

F 


(j(3  MU.  CECIL'S  WORKS.  [CiiAr.  IV. 

tor  the  press.  Me  wrote  a  "  View  of  Mr.  Cecil's 
character,"  and  collected,  from  memoranda  which  he 
had  made,  a  valuable  volume  of  his  "  Remains,"  being 
a  series  of  Remarks  made  by  Mr.  Cecil  on  various  sub- 
jects, chiefly  in  conversation  with  Mr.  Pratt,  or  in 
discussions  at  the  Meetings  of  the  Eclectic  Society. 
These  have  been  published  separately,  with  the  "  View 
of  his  character,"  and  Mrs.  Cecil's  ^^  Memoir"  of  her 
husband  ;  and  the  volume  has  gone  through  many  edi- 
tions, and  has  long  been  esteemed  as  one  of  the  most 
valuable  manuals  a  minister  can  possess.  Mr.  Cecil's 
"  Works"  were  published  in  four  volumes  in  1811. 

The  pressure  of  Mr.  Pratt's  many  engagements  oc- 
casionally told  upon  his  health,  and  warned  him  that 
he  must  relax  for  a  while.  Though  he  had  a  robust 
frame  and  a  strong  constitution,  yet  the  constant  strain 
upon  his  mind  (for  it  should  be  remembered  that  he 
had  all  this  time  very  anxious  duties  to  perform  as 
Secretary  of  the  Chur'ch  Missionary  Society),  and  his 
necessarily  sedentary  habits,  were  enough  to  shake  the 
powers  of  the  strongest.  With  a  view  to  recruit  his 
exhausted  powers,  he  made  several  walking  tours  at 
different  times  along  the  south  coast  of  England,  in 
company  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Fearon,  or  some  other  in- 
timate friend. 

In  May,  1811,  he  went  alone  to  Ramsgate  for  com- 
plete rest.  The  brief  pause  which  this  necessary  ces- 
sation made  in  his  perpetual  engagements,  gave  him 
tlic  opportunity  of  reviewing  the  past ;  and  it  is  in- 
teresting to  be  able,  at  this  distance  of  time,  to  look 
through    the    medium    of  a    private    letter    into    his 


1811.]  THOUGHTS  IN  RETIREMENT.  67 

thoughts  and  feelings  on  the  occasion.     He  writes  to 
Mrs.  Pratt  as  follows  : — 

"  R.^MSG.vTE,  May  25f/<,  1811. 
*'  I  thank  you  sincerely  for  your  hints  in  your  last.  An  ac- 
tive and  sanguine  mind,  with  a  wish  to  eke  out  my  means  for 
providing  for  my  children,  and  a  feeling  that  my  taste  and 
talents  led  me  to  hook-making  and  editorship,  have  carried 
me  further  into  mechanical  details,  and  involved  me  more  in 
secular  occupation,  than  I  ever  anticipated,  and  than  could  well 
consist  with  my  own  personal  spiritual  growth.  On  every  ac- 
count I  assure  you  I  am  now  setting  out  on  the  ivinding-Jip  plan  ,• 
and  though  I  doubt  not  but  my  Master's  kingdom  will  con- 
tinue to  be  advanced,  under  His  blessing,  by  those  works 
which  I  have  published,  and  all  of  which  I  have  committed  into 
His  hands,  when  we  are  gathered  home  to  Him ;  yet  I  feel 
that  He  now  calls  me  to  *  give  myself  more  to  the  ministry  of 
the  Word  and  to  prayer.'  He  opens  scenes  of  important  work 
and  usefulness  before  me :  and  I  now  pray  and  resolve  that  all 
my  studies  shall  be  subordinate  to  this  great  end.  I  cannot 
tell  you  all  that  has  passed  in  my  soul  in  this  leisure  and  re- 
tirement ;  but  I  sincerely  join  you  in  the  wish  and  prayer  that 
we  may  both  draw  nearer  to  God,  and  live  closer  to  Him." 

The  foregoing  extract  gives  a  pleasing  insight  into 
the  state  of  his  mind.  The  following  one  shews  his 
affectionate  anxiety  for  his  family  : — 

"  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  return,  with  the  blessing  of  God, 
all  the  better  for  the  journey ;  but  I  caught  a  cold  yesterday  in 
a  very  sharp  east  wind  which  we  have  had  here.  However,  I 
take  things  very  quietly ;  and  stroll  out,  and  read,  and  write, 
and  think,  and  then  give  up  thinking  ;  and  then  my  mind  wan- 
ders to  you  and  the  children ;  and  *  Oh !  if  I  knew  all  were 
well ! '  breaks  out ;  and  then  I  chide  myself,  and  then  I  pray, 
and  then  praise  ;  and  Urns  I  go  on." 

In  truth,  from  references  to  it  in  after  life,  and  from 

F  2 


(3s  THOUGHTS  IN  liETIREMENT.  [Chap.  IV. 

sonic  })nvate  memoranda,  it  appears  that  this  visit  to 
l^nnsgate  was  an  important  stage  in  Mr.  Pratt's  reli- 
gions experience.  The  following  solemn  record  of  his 
feelings,  made  at  the  time,  implies  as  much  : — 

Sundajj,  May  19,  \8\\.—"  ******  I  do  feel  now 
as  I  never  did  in  all  my  life  before,  that  if  I  am  saved  it  must 
be  in  mere  mercy.  I  have  often  said,  and  I  have  often 
preached,  that  we  have  no  hope  but  in  mercy :  but  I  feel  it 
now.  Oh  !  let  me  become  a  preacher  and  a  pastor  luiwearied 
in  tenderness  and  patience  !  And  let  me  feel  a  practical  re- 
liance on  Thy  grace  and  Spirit  to  grant  all  success  to  the 
ministry  of  tlie  Word.  Let  my  dear  wife,  and  every  one  of  my 
dear  chiklren,  and  every  member  of  my  family,  and  every  pre- 
cious soul  under  my  ministry,  find  the  benefit  of  Thy  dealings 
with  me  !  O  Almighty  Jehovah,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit, 
here  I  pour  out,  on  Ramsgate  East  Pier-head,  this  day,  the 
sincere  feelings  and  desires  of  my  soul!  Employ  me  hence- 
forward as  it  shall  please  Thee !  To  Thee,  in  life  and  death, 
in  time  and  eternity,  I  devote  my  body  and  my  soul !" 

Such  dealings  of  God  with  his  soul  were  a  special 
favour  to  His  servant,  and  explain  how  it  was  that 
he  maintained  such  fervour  of  spirit  amid  such  varied 
and  constant  occupation.  lie  used  himself  to  admire 
this  feature  of  Nehemiah's  character,  and  sometimes 
preached  upon  it ;  and  he  was  enabled  by  grace  to  trans- 
cribe Nehemiah's  example  in  a  large  measure  into  his 
own  conduct.  These  inward  experiences,  moreover, 
were  peculiarly  seasonable  at  that  moment :  for  not- 
withstanding his  desire  to  devote  himself  more  exclu- 
sively "  to  the  ministry  of  the  Word  and  to  prayer," 
God  was  designing  to  create  new  and  enlarged  open- 
ings of  usefulness,  for  the  active  exercise  of  those  gifts 
which  lie  had  bestowed  upon  him. 


CHAPTER  V. 

1813— 181G. 

RKNE^VAL  OF  THE  EAST-INDIA  COMPANY'S  CHARTER — EFFORTS  TO  GAIN  FllEE 
ACCESS  FOR  MISSIONARIES  TO  INDIA,  AND  TO  ESTABLISH  AN  EPISCOPATE 
—  EXERTIONS  OF  DR.  BUCHANAN  AND  MR.  PRATT — COMMENCEJIENT  OF 
"the  MISSIONARY  register" — THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  EAST-INDIA  CHAR- 
TER BROUGHT  BEFORE  PARLIAMENT,  AND  THE  EFFORTS  OF  THE  FRIENDS 
OF  MISSIONS  CROWNED  WITH  SUCCESS  — THE  MISSIONARY  CAUSE  RECEIVES 
A  NEW  IMPULSE — ASSOCIATIONS  ARE  ORGANIZED — MR.  PRATT  TRAVELS 
FOR  THE  SOCIETY  —  FRIENDLY  COMMUNICATION  WITH  OTHER  MISSIO- 
NARY SOCIETIES. 

The  renewal  of  the  East-India  Company's  Charter  in 
1813,  forms  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  modern  Mis- 
sions. Some  account  of  the  Religious  Movement  con- 
nected with  that  event  will  find  an  appropriate  place 
in  this  Memoir ;  for  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
was  called  by  its  position  to  take  a  very  prominent 
share  in  the  exertions  then  made  to  obtain  greater 
facilities  of  access  to  the  heathen  world  ;  and  the 
energies  of  its  Secretary  were  then  taxed  to  the  ut- 
most, and  confessedly  contributed  in  no  small  degree 
to  bring  about  the  happy  result. 

The  Charter  which  was  about  to  expire  had  been 
granted  by  Parliament  in  1793.  At  that  time  attempts 
were  made,  especially  by  Mr.  Wilberforce,  to  obtain 
the  introduction  of  some  clauses  favourable  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  useful  knowledge  among  the  inhabitants 
of  British  India,  and  tending  to  their  moral  and 
religious  improvement.     Nothing  more,  however,  was 


70  RENEWAL  OF  THE  [Chap.  V. 

then  efTected  than  the  passing  of  a  Resolution  in  the 
House  of  Commons,  proposed  by  Mr.  Wilberforce, 
which  remained  as  a  permanent  record  on  the  books 
of  the  House,  serving  to  shew  what  they  considered 
it  would  be  their  duty  to  do  whenever  a  better  oppor- 
tunity should  present  itself. 

This  w^as  previous  to  the  establishment  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society.  In  the  mean  time  zeal 
in  the  Missionary  cause  had  very  much  increased 
throughout  the  country  ;  and  it  was  felt  that,  upon 
this  new  occasion,  greater  and  more  vigorous  efforts 
sliould  be  made  to  open  India  to  the  Gospel. 

As  Parliamentary  discussions  upon  this  subject  were 
anticipated  some  time  before  the  expiration  of  the 
then  existing  Charter,  the  friends  of  Missions  began  to 
bestir  themselves  in  the  early  part  of  1812 ;  more  than 
a  year  before  the  new  Charter  would  be  granted. 

The  object  they  had  in  view  was  two-fold :  to  ob- 
tain free  access  for  Missionaries  into  the  British  Pos- 
sessions in  India ;  and  to  promote  the  completion  of 
the  Ecclesiastical  Establishment  by  the  erection  of  an 
Episcopate. 

The  only  Protestant  Mission  which  had  in  any 
measure  received  the  countenance  of  the  Company, 
was  that  which  had  been  planted  for  more  than  a  cen- 
tury on  the  coast  of  Coromandel.  The  admission  of 
any  others  into  the  country  had  been  regarded  with  a 
jealous  eye.  It  was  feared  that  the  security  of  the 
empire  would  be  endangered  by  the  introduction  of 
persons,  whose  avowed  object  was  the  conversion  of 
tlie  natives  to  the  Christian  faith. 


1812.]  EAST-INDIA  COMPANY'S  CHARTER.  71 

Dr.  Carey  and  his  companions  of  the  Baptist  Com- 
munion, had  gained  a  footing  in  India  through  the 
Danish  Settlement  at  Serampore,  near  Calcutta ;  and 
by  their  exemplary  conduct  and  useful  labours  had 
conciliated  the  favour  and  esteem  of  the  local  Govern- 
ment of  Bengal.  But  when  the  number,  originally 
sniall,  was  reduced  by  death,  no  disposition  was  ma- 
nifested to  allow  them  to  replenish  their  strength. 
So  far  from  it,  some  persons  sent  from  England  by 
way  of  America  to  re-inforce  the  infant  Mission  were 
required  by  the  Government  to  quit  the  country ;  al- 
though in  no  case  was  there  the  slightest  impeachment 
of  the  propriety  of  their  conduct,  or  the  purity  of  their 
intentions. 

A  very  different  course  of  policy  had  been  pursued 
by  the  King's  Government  in  Ceylon,  without  produc- 
ing the  smallest  interruption  to  the  public  tranquil- 
lity ;  and  thus  ample  proof  had  been  afforded  to  the 
rulers  of  the  continent  of  India,  that  there  was  really  no 
sufficient  ground  for  their  fears,  when  weighed  even 
by  the  principles  of  political  expediency.  The 
noble  conduct  of  Schwartz,*  so  serviceable  as  it  was 
known  to  have  been  to  the  State,  ought  to  have  con- 
vinced the  Court  how  beneficially  the  admission  of 
wise  and  pious  men,  bent  upon  the  improvement  and 
moral  cultivation  of  the  natives,  would  have  operated 
in  strengthening  the  foundations  of  the  Indian  enii)ire. 
But  they  were  inexorable ;  and  the  unyielding  oppo- 
sition thus  manifested  made  it  the  more  imperative, 

*  See  Life  of  Sclnvartz,  l»y  Dean  I'oarsdii. 


7-2  EXERTIONS  OF  MR.  PRATT,  [Chap.  V. 

that  the  decisive  step  should  now  be  taken,  of  appeal- 
ing to  a  higher  authority. 

The  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christian  Know- 
ledge and  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  were  fore- 
most in  the  agitation  of  this  memorable  question.  On 
the  5th  of  May,  1812,  the  first  of  these  bodies  met  and 
drew  up  a  Memorial,  which  w'as  afterwards  presented 
to  Mis  Majesty's  Ministers  and  the  Court  of  Directors. 
On  the  21st  of  April  preceding,  a  Special  Committee 
Meeting  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  took  place, 
Mr.Wilberforce  being  in  the  chair ;  when  it  was  resolved 
to  call  a  Special  General  Meeting  of  the  Society  on  the 
2  Ith  inst.  At  this  Meeting  400  gentlemen  were  present, 
including  several  Members  of  Parliament ;  Lord  Gam- 
bier  was  in  the  chair.  A  Deputation  was  appointed 
to  seek  for  interviews  with  His  Majesty's  Ministers 
and  the  Court  of  Directors,  and  to  use  all  available 
means  of  obtaining  a  favourable  reply  to  their  petition. 

Mr.  Pratt  took  a  very  active  share  in  these  proceed- 
ings, and  especially  in  preparing  various  papers  upon 
India  to  awaken  public  attention.  On  the  1st  of  May 
the  Committee  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  him,  which 
they  recorded  on  their  Minutes,  "  for  his  laborious 
exertions  in  promoting  the  object  of  the  late  Special 
(leneral  Meeting."  And  as  it  appeared  necessary, 
under  present  circumstances,  "  to  employ  the  press  in 
an  extensive  and  indefinite  way,"  it  was  further  re- 
solved, "  that  the  Secretary  be  authorized  to  exercise 
iiis  discretion  therein,  as  circumstances  may  require." 

Tile  Rev.  Dr.  Claudius  Buchanan  formerly  Vice- 
Provost  of  the  College  of  Fort-William  in  Bengal,  had 


1812.]  AND  01"  DR.  BUCHANAN.  73 

returned  to  England  in  1808,  and  rendered  most  essen- 
tial service  in  the  present  movement.  It  was,  indeed, 
by  him  that  the  necessity  of  a  complete  Ecclesiastical 
Establishment  for  India  had  been  first  distinctly 
pointed  out  in  his  "  Memoir"  on  that  subject  in  1805. 
The  original  conception  of  this  able  work  he  attri- 
buted to  the  suggestion  of  the  excellent  Bishop  Por- 
teus,  who  had  "  attentively  surveyed  the  state  of  our 
dominions  in  Asia,  and  expressed  his  conviction  of  the 
indispensable  necessity  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Establish- 
ment for  our  Indian  empire."  *  His  celebrated  "  ChrLs- 
tian  Researches  in  the  East,"  published  early  in  1811, 
had  roused  the  public  attention  to  the  spiritual  wants 
of  India  still  more.  Mr.  Pratt  now  wrote  to  him  to  pro- 
pose, that  he  should  again  take  up  his  pen  in  this  cause. 
He  sent  word,  in  reply,  that  he  was  already  thus  en- 
gaged, and  was  preparing  a  "  Prospectus  of  an  Eccle- 
siastical Establishment  for  British  India,"  to  be  distri- 
buted among  the  Members  of  both  Houses :  and  he 
adds — "  I  think  two  or  three  short  addresses  might 
be  drawn  up  from  these  materials  (the  Memoir,  Reso- 
lutions, and  Prospectus)  for  the  Members  of  Parlia- 
ment by  some  of  your  most  luminous  pens,  every  man 
in  his  own  manner.  Mr.  Vansittart  and  Mr.  Dealtry, 
for  example,  might  each  send  forth  a  sheet,  after  his 
own  manner ;  and  you  and  Mr.  Macaulay  might  do 
the  same.  You  need  not  give  your  names,  and  there- 
fore may  say  any  thing  you  like.  So  you  will  escape, 
and  I  shall  be  willing  to  receive  the  stabs.'' 

The  result  of  the  interviews  of  the  Deputation  from 

*  Memoir  of  Dr.  IJuchiinan,  by  Dean  Poavson.     Part.  II.  C'liap.  3. 


71  THE  MISSIONARY  REGISTER.  [Chap.  V. 

the  Cliurch  Missionary  Society  with  the  Prime  Minis- 
ter was  on  the  whole  favourable  ;  but  no  more  de- 
finite reply  was  obtained,  as  there  was  no  intention 
of  proceeding  to  grant  a  new  Charter  that  year.  The 
Committee  now-  expressed  their  wish  and  request, 
through  Mr.  Pratt,  to  Dr.  Buchanan,  that  he  would 
avail  himself  of  the  opportunity  alForded  by  this  state 
of  affairs,  to  press  on  the  public  and  on  the  legislature 
the  expediency  and  necessity  of  a  General  Colonial 
Ecclesiastical  Establishment.  Dr.  Buchanan  most  rea- 
dily complied  with  this  request ;  and  in  a  very  short 
period,  and  under  circumstances  of  great  infirmity, 
})roduced  the  very  able  and  learned  work,  intituled, 
"  Colonial  Ecclesiastical  Establishment." 

By  these  means  the  attention  of  the  public  was 
aroused  and  directed  tow  ards  Missionary  objects.  The 
opportunity  was  promptly  seized  by  Mr.  Pratt  as  a 
most  important  one,  for  starting  the  monthly  publica- 
tion which,  as  we  have  seen,  he  had  long  contemplated ; 
and  the  first  number  of  the  "  Missionary  Register " 
appeared  in  January,  1813.  Information  on  the  state 
and  wants  of  the  heathen,  and  the  efforts  already 
made  in  their  behalf,  was  especially  needed  to  pro- 
mote that  favourable  feeling  towards  Missionary  en- 
terprise which  was  rapidly  on  the  increase.  Mr. 
Pratt  hoped,  by  his  monthly  periodical,  in  some 
measure  to  supply  this  desideratum,  and  to  advance 
the  claims  of  the  Missionary  cause  in  general,  and  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  particular,  on  the 
l)rayers  and  benevolence  of  Christians.  That  his 
scheme  promised  much  success  was  acknowledged  by 


1813.]  VISIT  TO  BRISTOL.  75 

all.  Dr.  Buchanan  writes  to  him,  after  receiving  the 
first  number :  "  Many  thanks  for  the  '  Missionary  Re- 
gister/ that  most  useful  publication.  It  will  do  much 
for  your  Society  in  a  year's  time." 

The  zeal  which  was  now  re-animating  the  friends 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  at  head-quarters, 
began  to  communicate  itself  to  distant  parts  of  the 
country.  Early  in  1813  Mr.  Pratt  and  his  friends 
were  invited  to  plead  the  cause  of  the  heathen  in  one 
of  the  principal  cities  in  the  west  of  England,  as  the 
following  close  of  a  letter  to  his  friend,  the  Rev. 
T.  T.  Thomason  of  Calcutta,  will  shew  : — 

"London,  March  '22,  1813. 
"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND — 

*«♦«*** 

"  I  would  say  more,  but  am  preparing  to  go  by  to-night's 
mail  to  Bristol,  where  I  meet  Mr.  Scott,  Mr.  Woodd,  Mr.  Burn, 
and  Mr.  Budd,  in  order  by  Sermons,  and  at  a  Public  Meeting, 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  Church  Missionary  Association  in 
that  city.  We  are  making  great  exertions  to  extend  our  funds, 
because  we  hope  for  large  demands  from  you  for  the  service 
of  India. 

"  May  our  God  spare  us  both  as  long  as  we  can  subserve 
His  blessed  cause  !  Our  dear  friends  [David  Brown  and  Henry 
Martyn]  liave  been  gathered  home  before  we  thought  their 
work  done ;  but  it  was  not  so.     May  we  stand  ready  !" 

The  result  of  this  visit  was  highly  encouraging,  as 
the  sum  raised  on  this  occasion  was  not  very  far  short 
of  the  total  amount  received  by  the  Parent  Society 
during  the  previous  year.* 

*  The  receipts  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  1812  were  304G/. 
i)*-.  2d. ;  the  contributions  from  Bristol  in  1813  were  2300/. 


7G  THE  EAST-INDIA  QUESTION.  [CiiAr.  V. 

But  (luring  Mr.  Pratt's  visit  to  Bristol,  events 
were  occurring  in  London  which  demanded  his  imme- 
diate return.  The  Deputation  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  appointed  in  1812  had  renewed  their 
conferences  with  His  Majesty's  Ministers  previously 
to  the  22d  of  INIarch,  and  had  proposed  a  clause  for 
insertion  in  the  new  Charter,  requiring  the  Board 
of  Commissioners  for  the  afftiirs  of  India  to  grant 
licenses  to  suitable  persons  to  reside  there,  for  the 
purpose  of  communicating  religious  and  moral  in- 
struction to  the  natives.  From  the  reception  they 
met  with  they  had  anticipated  a  favourable  result. 
The  very  evening  he  left  town,  Lord  Castlereagh, 
the  Ministerial  leader  of  the  House  of  Commons, 
brought  forward  the  India  business.  It  appeared 
from  the  sketch  given  on  that  occasion  to  be  the 
plan  of  His  Majesty's  Ministers,  to  appoint  a  Bishop 
and  three  Archdeacons  to  superintend  the  religious 
interests  of  the  European  residents  in  India ;  but  to 
leave  the  subject  of  religion,  in  other  respects,  still 
under  the  control  of  the  Directors  of  the  East-India 
Company.  The  friends  to  the  introduction  of  Chris- 
tianity into  India  were  disappointed  and  alarmed. 
No  time  was  to  be  lost  in  making  such  represen- 
tations to  the  Government,  and  also  to  Parliament, 
as  to  ensure  some  better  success.  Mr.  Pratt  was 
summoned  to  town  to  call  together  the  friends  of 
the  cause.  Immediately  after  delivering  his  Address 
at  the  formation  of  the  Bristol  Association,  and  with- 
out waiting  for  the  close  of  that  animating  Meeting, 
lie  hastened  to  London   to  prepare  for  the  struggle. 


1813.]  THE  EAST-INDIA  QUESTION.  77 

On  the  I3th  of  April,  a  special  General  Meeting  of 
the  Society  was  called  to  receive  the  report  of  the 
Deputation,  and  to  take  such  measures  thereon  as 
might  appear  expedient  at  this  most  important  crisis. 
Resolutions  were  unanimously  passed  ;  and  a  petition 
previously  drawn  up,  grounded  thereon,  was  adopted 
for  presentation  by  Mr.  Wilberforce  to  the  House  of 
Commons,  and  by  Lord  Gambier,  the  President  of  the 
Society,  to  the  House  of  Lords. 

The  lively  and  active  interest  which  had  been 
taken  in  this  matter  by  the  friends  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  during  the  past  year,  was  the 
means  of  calling  into  action  other  bodies  of  Christians 
equally  interested  in  the  result.  A  General  Meeting 
of  all  denominations  was  held  at  the  City-of-London 
Tavern  on  the  29th  of  March,  Lord  Gambier  in  the 
chair,  to  petition  Parliament.  Meetings  of  the  several 
bodies,  and  in  various  parts  of  the  kingdom,  rapidly 
followed.  In  all,  between  eight  and  nine  hundred 
petitions  were  presented  to  Parliament  at  this  time 
on  this  all-absorbing  subject. 

Mr.  Pratt  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost.  He  laid 
himself  out  in  drawing  up  resolutions,  preparing  state- 
ments and  papers  of  information,  in  framing  petitions, 
and  in  making  arrangements  for  Meetings  in  and  out 
of  London.  His  stirring  habits  of  business,  his  active 
zeal,  and  the  esteem  which  all  denominations  of  Chris- 
tians entertained  for  his  character,  made  him  a  most 
important  actor  in  these  transactions.  He  preferred 
working  behind  the  scenes,  and  ever  shrank  from  pub- 
licity ;  but  his  indefatigable  labours  at  this  crisis  were 


78  THE  FINAL  TRIUMPH.  [Chap.  V. 

too  important,  as  well  as  too  conspicuous,  to  escape 
observation.  His  friend.  Dr.  Buchanan,  writes  from  a 
sick  chamber,  at  an  early  stage  of  the  movement : — 

"  My  retirement  is  sweetened  by  the  view  of  the  ardour 
wliicli  animates  yourself  and  others,  and  by  the  success  which 
crowns  your  labours  in  all  lands." 

And  upon  the  successful  close  of  the  struggle,  the 
unusual  course  was  resorted  to,  at  the  Thirteenth  An- 
niversary of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  of  passing 
a  special  vote  of  thanks  to  one  ofHcially  connected  with 
its  concerns.     It  was 

"Moved   by  W.  Wilberforce,  Esq.,   seconded  by   Lord 
Gambier,  and  resolved  unanimously — 
"  That  the  sincere  thanks  of  the  Meeting  be  given  to  the 
Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  Secretary,  for  his  able,  diligent,  and  perse- 
vering zeal  in  the  cause  of  the  Society." 

But  after  all  the  out-door  preparations  were  com- 
pleted, the  battle  had  yet  to  be  fought  in  the  House  of 
Commons.  The  intense  interest  and  pre-eminently 
important  share  which  Mr.  Wilberforce  took  in  it  is 
in  a  lively  manner  depicted  in  his  "Life."  On  the 
night  of  the  22d  of  June  was- the  final  triumph;  and 
to  this  his  powerful  representations  and  fervid  elo- 
quence, under  God,  mainly  contributed.  The  Bill 
which  opened  India  to  the  heralds  of  Salvation  received 
the  Royal  assent  on  the  21st  of  July,  181.3. 

It  has  been  already  remarked  that  the  reflex  efTect 
of  these  stirring  events  upon  the  Missionary  cause  was 
highly  beneficial.  With  reference  to  this  fact  Mr.  Pratt 
remarks : — 


1813]  ASSOCIATIONS  FORMED.  79 

"  Some  great  events  were  required  to  rouse  the  public  mind. 
The  agitating  the  question  respecting  the  opening  of  India  to 
the  influence  of  Christianity  was  of  this  nature.  The  discus- 
sions on  tliis  subject  during  the  last  two  years,  and  the  efforts 
of  this  Society  and  of  other  Christian  bodies  to  awaken  the 
public  attention  to  this  great  act  of  national  duty,  have  been 
abundantly  repaid  in  the  interest  which  is  so  generally  felt  on 
this  subject  throughout  the  country." 

One  of  the  distinguishing  features  of  his  character 
was  his  aptness  and  promptitude  in  seizing  the  critical 
moment  for  giving  a  new  impulse  to  important  mea- 
sures. He  was  a  great  discerner  of  the  signs  of  the  times. 
We  have  seen  that  he  selected  this  memorable  year 
for  commencing  the  "  Missionary  Register."  The  same 
reasons  which  seem  to  have  brought  his  long-cherished 
intentions  to  maturity  in  that  instance,  suggested  the 
importance  of  devising  some  means  of  calling  the 
aroused  attention  of  the  Christian  public  into  prac- 
tical activity,  and  he  proposed  the  establishment  of  a 
system  of  Associations  and  Branch  Societies  or  Auxi- 
liaries, throughout  the  country.  Bristol  had  set  a 
noble  example  to  the  w^hole  kingdom  ;  and  mainly 
through  his  influence,  by  a  paper  which  he  drew  up 
on  the  subject  and  widely  circulated,  other  places 
readily  responded  to  the  suggestion  of  establishing 
these  feeders  of  the  Parent  Institution.  In  1813,  be- 
sides his  visit  to  Bristol,  he -travelled  for  this  purpose 
to  Norwich,  Ipswich,  and  Leicester.  lie  writes  to 
his  friend  IMr.  Thomason  : — 

"  Remember  that  I  am  not  only  the  Sedentai-y  Secretary  of 
the  Society,  but  the  TravelUug  Preacher;  and  everywhere  I  find 


go  ASSOCIATIONS  FORMED.  [Cmap.  V. 

the  hearts  of  our  EngUsh  Christians  open  towards  India — 
everywhere  the  praises  of  God  for  raising  up  Abdool  and 
Corrie  and  their  I'ellow-labourers  are  heard.  Shew  us,  as  1 
have  before  assured  you,  wise  plans  well  pursued,  and  we  have 
every  reasonable  sum  at  your  command.  I  will  plead  for  India 
from  Berwick-upon-Tweed  to  the  Land's  End,  rather  than  not 
meet  its  just  demand." 

To  a  Clergyman  in  Yorkshire,  who  was  thinking  of 
devoting  himself  to  the  w'ork  abroad,  he  remarks  :  — 

"  It  is  a  great  stinudus  to  our  hopes  and  expectations  that 
we  see  such  zeal  kindling  around  us.  We  went  to  Norwich 
under  great  discouragement,  but  the  result  has  taught  us  never 
to  distrust  God  while  we  are  labouring  in  His  cause.  The 
churches  would  not  hold  the  multitudes  thift  flocked  to  them. 
Let  us  give  God  all  the  praise,  and  take  courage  !" 

In   1814,  Mr.  Pratt  visited  Bristol,  Hull,  Dublin, 
Norwich,    Ipswich,   Birmingham,    and    Bedford.      In 

1815,  he  went  to  Bristol,  Manchester,  Staffordshire, 
Derb}^,  Norwich,  Cambridge,  Birmingham,  Wolver- 
hampton, Darleston,  Wednesbury,  Rowley  Regis,  West 
Bromwich,  Harborne,  Foston,  and  Leicester :  and  in 

1816,  to  Colchester,  Bristol,  Mull,  Beverley,  Sherborne, 
Yeovil,  Dorchester,  Blandford,  Oldham,  Bacup  in 
R,ochdale,  Manchester,  Liverpool,  Denbigh,  Ruthin, 
and  Llanfyllin.  On  these  occasions  it  fell  to  the  lot 
of  the  Society's  Secretary  to  explain  at  length  its  ob- 
ject, constitution,  and  proceedings,  and  to  urge  its 
claims  on  Christian  benevolence.  In  some  of  the 
larger  places  he  preached  in  three  of  the  churches  on 
the  same  day,  endeavouring  to  stir  up  a  Missionary 
spirit  by  his  descriptions  of  the  wretched  state  of  the 


1814—1815.]  ACTIVE  EXERTIONS.  81 

heathen  world,  and  the  encouragement  held  out,  both 
in  the  Word  of  God  and  in  past  experience,  to  at- 
tempt their  conversion.  Many  able  friends  aided  in 
the  same  way,  and  with  great  efiect ;  but  Mr.  Pratt 
was  the  mainspring  of  the  great  machine  at  this  time, 
and  it  engaged  all  his  energies,  not  only  as  officially 
connected  with  the  Society,  but  as  devotedly  and  ar- 
dently attached  to  the  cause. 

"  I  congratulate  you,"  writes  the  Rev.  Dr.  Buchanan  to  him 
about  this  time,  "  on  the  grand  march  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society.  It,  too,  must  keep  humble,  for  you  have  enough 
to  make  you  proud.  A  chief  means  of  its  success  recently  has 
no  doubt  been  its  being  principally  directed  by  one  man." 
He  adds  somewhat  hyperbolically,  in  illustration — "  Where 
there  is  zeal,  high  responsibility,  judgment,  and  capacity,  a 
king  is  always  better  for  an  infant  institution  than  a  republic." 

Few  persons  beyond  the  members  of  his  immediate 
family  circle  were  at  all  aware  of  wdiat  these  public 
exertions  cost  him.  He  was  naturally  of  a  retiring 
cast  of  mind,  and  nothing  but  a  strong  sense  of  duty, 
and  an  ardent  and  untiring  zeal  in  promoting,  by  all 
means,  the  great  objects  he  had  at  heart,  could  have 
drawn  him  forth  from  the  retirement  of  his  study. 
Practice,  in  a  measure,  lightened  the  burden ;  and 
habit  took  off  the  keenness  of  this  natural  repugnance 
to  publicity,  which  would  otherwise  have  been  intole- 
rable to  him.  The  writer  of  a  periodical  about  that 
time  used  an  expression  regarding  him,  w^hich  had 
more  truth  in  it  than  the  writer  was  perhaps  aware. 
He  said  that  Mr.  Pratt's  "  constitutional  modesty"  had 
prevented  his  giving  to  the  world  more  than  two  or 


82  INCREASED  FUNDS.  [Chap.  V. 

three  occasional  printed  sermons.  This  was  so  really 
true,  while  at  the  same  time  so  apparently  imtriie, 
from  his  constant  practice  of  conducting  Committees, 
preaching,  speaking  at  Public  Meetings,  and  leading 
the  conversation  in  large  parties,  that  the  words  were 
adopted  as  a  frequent  pleasantry  between  him  and  his 
fomily.  As  the  Society's  concerns  extended,  and  the 
duties  of  its  officers  were  necessarily  subdivided,  he 
gladly  withdrew  from  the  travelling,  having  borne  the 
burden  and  heat  of  the  day :  and  this  "  constitutional 
modesty"  was  then  allowed  to  have  its  sway ;  for  once 
"  out  of  harness,"  as  he  called  it,  his  friends  could  not 
persuade  him  to  take  even  occasional  journeys ;  and 
from  the  period  when  this  release  was  efTected,  the 
only  two  places  which  he  visited  were  Birmingham,  his 
native  town,  and  one  of  the  Associations  in  the  imme- 
diate neighbourhood  of  London,  where  he  had  been 
persuaded  to  make  a  kind  of  promise  of  an  annual 
visit,  combining  the  Missionary  Anniversary,  and  a 
pastoral  visit  to  a  family  who  had  many  years  attended 
his  ministry. 

These  efforts  tended  greatly  to  increase  the  Society's 
income.  While  in  1812  it  had  reached  3000/.,  in  1813 
it  became  more  than  four  times  that  amount ;  and  it 
afterwards  steadily  increased,  in  five  years,  to  more 
than  double,  and  in  ten  years  to  more  than  treble  the 
sum  it  had  attained  in  1813. 

But  there  was  an  indirect  effect  of  these  exertions, 
as  great,  if  not  greater,  than  this  direct  result.  That 
Mr.  Pratt  was  fully  sensible  of  this,  the  following  re- 
marks will  shew : — 


1813.]  MR.  PRATT'S  TONE  OF  PREACHING.  83 

"  Indispensable  as  the  augmentation  of  the^Society's  funds 
is  to  the  extension  of  its  foreign  exertions,  yet  the  interest 
wliicli  is  excited  is  a  benefit  of  another  and  a  higlier  order. 
The  a^vful  condition  of  the  heathen  world  is  made  known :  the 
perishing  state  of  our  sixty  or  seventy  millions  of  fellow-sub- 
jects begins  to  be  understood :  the  obligation  under  which  we 
lie  of  imparting  to  them  and  to  all  men  the  inestimable  trea- 
sures of  the  Gospel  is  felt  on  all  sides  :  the  honour  of  our  Di- 
vine Saviour  is  seen  to  be  involved  in  the  winning  of  conquests 
for  Him  from  the  empire  of  sin.  These  topics  animate,  more 
than  they  ever  did,  the  public  ministrations  of  our  Church: 
they  are  carried  home  with  us  to  our  families ;  they  enter  into 
the  daily  prayers  which  we  offer  with  them  to  the  Father  of 
mercies ;  and  we  bear  them  on  our  hearts  in  our  secret  ap- 
proaches to  His  throne."* 

The  influence  which  these  great  events  had  upon 
Mr.  Pratt  was  very  manifestly  shewn  in  the  tone  which 
they  gave  to  his  preaching.  It  has  been  remarked  by 
his  friends,  that — partly  from  the  native  vigour  of  his 
mind  being  thus  called  forth,  and  partly  from  his 
sermons  being  less  elaborate  and  more  experimental  in 
their  character,  and  delivered  with  a  simpler  depen- 
dence on  Divine  aid — his  ministry  acquired  far  more 
life  and  energy  than  it  had  hitherto  possessed.  It 
assumed,  likewise,  a  more  eminently  Missionary  cha- 
racter. Thus,  in  addition  to  his  more  direct  labours 
for  the  Missionary  cause,  he  was  made  extensively 
useful  in  inciting  others  to  interest  themselves  in  be- 
half of  the  multitudes  living  and  dying  in  heathen 
darkness.  The  efTect  which  his  preaching  had  in 
this  respect  upon  the  mind  of  Sir  Fowell  Buxton  (who 


Fourteenth  Report  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  p.  280. 
G   2 


84  SIR  FOWELL  BUXTON.  [Chap.  V. 

was,  as  we  have  seen,  one  of  Mr.  Pratt's  congregation 
at  Wheler  Chapel)  was  most  important  in  its  results, 
and  is  thus  adverted  to  in  the  funeral  sermon  above 
mentioned : — 

"  Mr.  Pratt's  mind  was  peculiarly  filled  with  the  urgent 
claims  which  a  perishing  world  presented  on  the  sympathies  of 
Christians.  Being  the  Secretary  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  he  had  gradually  drunk  deep  of  a  Missionary  spirit. 
And  in  his  ministry  he  very  constantly  urged  on  his  hearers  at 
this  time,  that  having  secured  their  own  salvation,  they  should 
employ  whatever  talents  and  opportunities  it  might  please  God 
to  give  them  in  the  promotion  of  the  kingdom  of  His  Son. 
These  constant  appeals  made  a  great  impression  on  Mr.  Bux- 
ton's mind  when,  after  his  recovery,  he  was  enabled  again  to 
attend  here.  In  a  letter  of  a  recent  date  [1839],  which  he  ad- 
dressed to  the  late  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  with  reference  to  the 
Niger  Expedition,  he  wrote  :  '  My  impressions  and  anxieties 
with  regard  to  Africa,  and  my  desire  for  the  spread  of  the  Go- 
spel, were  planted  in  my  mind  in  Wheler  Chapel.' " 

The  other  Societies  formed  for  the  evangelization  of 
the  world  were  likewise  endeavouring,  during  this  pe- 
riod, to  awaken  a  deeper  interest  in  behalf  of  the  hea- 
then. The  main  barriers  which  had  hitherto  kept  India 
fast  closed  against  the  Missionary  were  removed,  and 
a  new  spirit  of  activity  seemed  to  be  infused  into  all 
denominations  of  Christians.  Devotedly  attached  as 
Mr.  Pratt  was  to  his  own  Society,  and,  from  convic- 
tion, a  consistent  member  of  the  Church  of  England, 
he  nevertheless  looked  with  pleasure  upon  the  active 
operations  of  all  bodies  who  had  the  same  cause  at 
heart — the  conversion  of  the  heathen  from  darkness 
and  idolatry  to  the  light  of  Christ.     But  the  concur- 


1814.]  THE  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  85 

rent  activity  of  these  various  Societies  sometimes  gave 
rise  to  questions,  which  it  required  no  little  wisdom  and 
moderation  to  settle.  The  following  letter  will  shew 
how  Mr.  Pratt  acted  in  one  of  these  cases. 

It  seems  that  at  Cork  some  pious  members  of  the 
Established  Church  had  become  interested  in  the 
cause  of  Missions,  through  the  reports  which  they 
had  read  of  operations  abroad  ;  and  they  had  formed 
themselves  into  a  Society  for  the  purpose  of  raising 
funds  jointly  for  the  Church  Missionary  and  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Societies,  under  the  impression,  it 
would  appear,  that  they  had  equal  claims  upon  mem- 
bers of  the  Church.  Upon  the  transmission  of  a  moiety 
of  the  first  year's  receipts  of  this  Society,  and  a  copy 
of  the  rules,  he  writes : — 

To  the  Rev.  H / . 

"Church  Missionary  House, 
"  Salisbury  Square,  London,  March  9,  1814. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR — 

"  From  a  sincere  wish  to  live  in  harmony  with  other  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  we  regret  to  see  that  the  (London)  Missio- 
nary Society  is  putting  forth  pretensions  to  the  support  of  the 
Church,  which  have  a  tendency  to  embroil  us  with  them,  un- 
less we  continue  to  make  sacrifices  for  the  sake  of  peace. 
With  that  support  which  they  receive  from  the  individual  be- 
nevolence of  Churchnien  we  have  no  wish  to  intei'fere :  their 
lists  will  shew  that  many  of  us  contribute  to  their  funds.  But 
we  do  object  to  their  claiming  support  from  embodied  Church- 
men, on  whose  support  they  have,  from  similarity  of  principle, 
vei'y  little  more  claim  than  the  Baptist  Missions,  much  less 
than  those  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodists,  and  very  far  less  than 
those  of  the  United  Brethren.  Other  bodies  agree  to  act  at 
home  within  their  own  sphere,  and  thus  they  secure  harmony 


86  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  V. 

and  fTood-will  with  t'ellow  Societies;  and  when  our  Missio- 
naries  get  abroad,  the  world  is  wide  enough  for  them  with- 
out interference  with  one  another.  The  Baptists  have  circu- 
hitcd  a  I'apcr,  in  which  they  state,  '  We  wish  our  Collectors 
not  to  attempt  urging  any  persons  to  subscribe  to  our  Mission 
whose  connections  would  naturally  lead  them  to  give  the  pre- 
ference to  other  Societies.'  This  is  the  true  Christian  spirit, 
and  will  succeed  best,  even  as  a  matter  of  po//c?/.  The  Hiber- 
nian General  Missionary  Society  wished  to  save  us  the  expense 
and  trouble  of  travelling  in  Ireland  ;  but  Mr.  Tracy  travelled 
there,  and  Societies  for  the  Counties  of  Tyrone,  Down,  Antrin), 
and  Armagh,  embracing  Churchmen  of  high  station,  are  in  full 
and  exclusive  connection  with  the  (London)  Missionary  Society, 
with  no  intimation  to  such  Churchmen  that  a  Society  exists 
in  their  own  body.  And  at  Cork,  when  the  natural  course 
is  about  to  be  given  to  principles  and  feelings,  they  are  ar- 
rested, and  half  is  diverted,  where  the  whole  cannot  be.  1 
learn,  by  a  letter  just  received  from  Mr.  Trayer  of  Dublin, 
that  the  Hibernian  gets  on  slowly,  in  consequence  of  the  direct 
connection  formed  between  the  {Lo}idon)  Missionary  Society  and 
jmrts  of  Ireland.  Besides,  the  appropriation  of  their  funds 
according  to  the  supposed  wants  and  merits  of  the  different 
Societies  will  lead  to  heartburnings  ;  and  even  the  equal  divi- 
sion of  those  of  the  Cork  Society  will  lead  to  invidious  com- 
parisons. Dr.  Austen  informs  me,  that  he  has  united  himself 
to  the  Cork  Society,  as  the  Bishop  would  not  countenance  a 
Society  in  direct  connection  with  ours,  unless  ours  was  sanc- 
tioned by  the  English  Bishops.  But  is  not  the  plan  you  have 
adopted  shutting  the  door  against  your  Bishops  ?  We  are 
gradually  making  our  way  to  the  Bench  here  :  one  Bi.shop  has 
already  joined  us ;  more,  we  trust,  will  follow.  The  Dean  of 
Wells  (very  probably  near  the  Bench)  preaches  our  next  Anni- 
versary Sermon.     Only  give  us  time. 

"  We  are  strongly  urged  to  attempt  the  establishment  of  an 
Association  or  Auxiliary  Society  in  Dublin,  in  direct  connection 


1814.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  87 

with  us ;  and  we  are  assured  of  support  from  some  high  quar- 
ters. Such  a  Society,  if  it  yielded  us  but  little  money,  would 
afford  us  the  means  of  making  known  throughout  Ireland  tiie 
existence,  the  proceedings,  and  tlie  claims  of  our  Society.  I 
write  to  you  with  full  confidence,  because  you  have  already 
given  us  proof  that  you  view  things  much  in  the  light  in  which 
I  have  stated  them.  We  wish  to  live  in  good  fellowship  with 
all  other  bodies,  and  are  determined  to  act  up  to  the  full  spirit 
of  that  command,  *  As  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with 
all  men  :'  and  it  is  because  we  see  a  prolific  source  of  jealousies 
and  ill-will  opened,  that  we  are  anxious  to  close  it  before  the 
herdmen  of  Isaac  and  the  herdmen  of  Gerar  begin  to  quarrel. 
We  shall  be  much  obliged  by  your  free  sentiments  on  this  sub- 
ject :  and  that  you  would  inform  us  how  far  an  Hibernian  Church 
Missionary  Auxiliary  Society  for  Africa  and  the  East,  would 
receive  support  within  your  circles." 

That  Mr.  Pratt  was  influenced  by  no  ill-will  in 
writing  in  this  strain,  but  by  a  desire  of  fair  dealing 
and  mutual  friendship,  is  further  apparent  from  the 
following  letters  to  the  Secretaries  of  the  London  and 
Baptist  Missionary  Societies ;  in  which  he  manifests 
his  desire  that  the  various  Societies  should  bring  their 
claims  before  the  public  without  the  appearance  of 
mutual  opposition. 

To  the  Rev.  George  Burder. 

"  Church  Missionary  House, 

"  Salisbury  Square,  July  24,  1814. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR — 

"  We  have  had  a  correspondence  with  our  friends  at  Man- 
chester several  months  since  on  the  establishment  of  a  Church 
Missionary  Association  there,  but  waived  it  on  account  of  the 
state  of  trade.  This  correspondence  was  renewed  lately,  and 
it  was  settled  that  about  the  middle  of  July  we  should  visit 
Manchester.      My   absence   in   Ireland,    however,  occasioned 


88  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  V. 

delay;  and  then,  finding  that  your  Society's  friends  were  to  be 
thereon  the  iilst,  we  again  deferred  our  visit — though  that  was 
the  day  on  which  we  were  invited  to  occupy  the  pulpits  of 
various  churches — as  we  cannot  think  of  even  appearing  to  clash 
together.  For  though  the  main  support  of  both  Societies  must 
be  looked  for  from  the  members  of  those  communions  which 
constitute  the  great  body  of  each,  yet  there  are  opulent  and 
liberal  persons  on  all  sides,  who  will  be  glad,  after  rendering 
their  first  support  to  their  own  Societies,  to  give  of  their  abun- 
dance to  others ;  and  it  would  be  improper  and  injurious  to  the 
interests  of  both  Societies,  and  to  the  extension  of  His  kingdom 
whom  we  all  serve,  to  meet  together  in  the  same  place.  I 
think  it  would  be  well  for  you  and  me  to  confer  together  occa- 
sionally on  this  subject.  Both  Societies  will,  ere  long,  have 
its  connections  and  Associations  in  all  the  most  populous 
places  ;  and  it  would  be  desirable  that  such  a  distance  (of  from 
two  to  six  months)  should  occur  between  our  respective  visits, 
as  may  leave  such  friends  of  either  Society,  as  may  wish  to 
lend  the  other  any  aid,  to  feel  at  liberty  to  do  so. 

"  Mr.  Saunders  is  now  travelling  for  the  Society  in  the  North, 
and  Mr.  Woodd  in  Devonshire  and  Cornwall.  Mr.  Richmond 
will  soon  begin  for  us  in  Yorkshire.  But  I  do  not  perceive 
that  our  arrangements  will  interfere  with  yours,  so  far  as  you 
have  mentioned  them." 

To  the  Rev.  James  Hinton. 

"  Church  Missionary  House,  Jan.  27,  18 10. 
"  MY   DEAR  SIR  — 

"  Accept  our  sincere  thanks  for  your  brotherly  offer  of  co- 
operation, and  our  assurances  that  we  desire  to  maintain  a 
similar  spirit.  I  may  be  allowed  to  add,  that  your  Society  has 
adopted  that  line  of  conduct  towards  others — -in  maintaining  its 
own  distinct  character,  while  it  leaves  other  bodies  to  maintain 
theirs — which  is  the  most  direct  means,  and  the  surest  pledge, 
of  mutual  concord  and  charity." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

1813—1817. 

COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  INDIAN  MISSION ABDOOL  MESSEEH — TWO  ENGLISH 

CLERGYMEN     AND     TWO    LL'THFRANS    ARE    SENT  OUT    BY  THE  SOCIETY 

CORRESPONDENCE     WITH     MR.    SIMEON  APPOINTMENT    OF    THE     FIRST 

BISHOP  OP  CALCUTTA — QUESTIONS  WITH  REGARD  TO  THE  EXTENT  OF  THE 
bishop's  AUTHORITY — HE  CONSIDERS  HIMSELF  UNAUTHORIZED  TO  ORDAIN 
NATIVE  CONVERTS  OR  TO  LICENSE    MISSIONARIES — ABDOOL  MESSEEH  AND 

MR.  BOWLEY  RECEIVE  LUTHERAN    ORDINATION MR.  CORRIe's    VISIT    TO 

ENGLAND — SEVEN  MORE  ENGLISH  CLERGYMEN  ARE  SENT  OUT — LETTERS 
OF  MR.  PRATT  TO  THE  MISSIONARIES. 

For  several  years  before  the  renewal  of  the  East-India 
Company's  Charter  in  1813,  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  had  turned  its  attention  to  the  East  ;  and  it 
had  assisted,  by  grants  of  money,  a  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  into  Arabic  for  the  use  of  the  Mahomedans 
in  India,  as  well  as  on  the  West  Coast  of  Africa,  where 
the  Society's  first  efforts  were  being  carried  on.  Its 
earliest  attempts  to  propagate  a  knowledge  of  the 
Gospel  in  India  by  living  teachers  were  made  in 
1812,  when  a  plan  was  devised  for  establishing  Readers 
of  the  Scriptures  in  the  native  tongues,  in  the  most 
populous  towns,  till  regular  Missionaries  could  be 
sent.  This  scheme  met  the  full  approval  of  the  friends 
of  the  Society  in  Calcutta.  The  Rev.  David  Brown 
writes  to  Mr.  Pratt : — "  It  is  a  plan  that  has  been  on 
my  mind  some  years,  and  has  been  entirely  approved 
by  several  judicious  friends  in  different  parts  of 
India." 

Abdool  Messeeh,  a  converted  Mahomedan  of  good 


90  A13DOOL  MESSEEH.  [Chap.  VI. 

family,  was  employed  by  the  Society  in  this  capa- 
city. After  his  conversion,  imder  the  teaching  of 
Mr.  Martyn,  he  accompanied  that  devoted  man  as 
far  as  Calcutta,  when  on  his  journey  to  embark 
for  Persia.  He  was  baptized  in  Calcutta  by  Mr. 
Brown ;  and  about  a  year  after  returned  up  the 
country  in  company  with  the  Rev.  Daniel  Corrie, 
afterwards  Bishop,  who  was  appointed  Chaplain  of 
Agra.  Here  he  was  employed  as  the  Society's  Reader 
and  Catechist  among  his  Heathen  and  Mahomedan 
countrymen.  His  labours  were  greatly  blessed  ;  and 
others,  converted  by  his  means,  were  afterwards  found 
qualified  to  aid  him  in  his  work.  "  The  hand  of  God," 
writes  Mr.  Thomason,  "  seems  to  be  peculiarly  mani- 
fested. When  your  Society  was  bursting  forth  with 
new  splendour  at  home,  work  was  preparing  for  them 
abroad.  Corrie  and  Abdool  seem  to  be  the  very  in- 
struments you  want." 

Mr.  Pratt  took  a  very  lively  interest  in  this  remark- 
able man,  justly  regarding  him  as  one  of  the  most 
promising  first-fruits  of  the  spiritual  harvest  which 
the  true  friends  of  India  hoped  ultimately  to  reap. 
The  following  extract  from  a  letter  which  he  ad- 
dressed to  him  between  three  and  four  years  after 
his  bai)tism,  and  two  or  three  years  after  he  became 
engaged  as  a  Reader  of  the  Society,  furnishes  a  spe- 
cimen of  the  affectionate  interest  and  godly  jealousy 
with  which  he  watched  his  proceedings  : — 

"  And  now,  my  dear  brother  in  Christ  our  Lord,  I  commend 
you  to  God  and  the  word  of  His  grace.  Should  we  never  meet 
in  this  world,  we  shall  meet,  I  trust,  in  that  glorious  company, 


1813—1817.]  ABDOOL  MESSEEII.  91 

who  will  be  '  before  the  throne,  having  passed  through  much 
tribulation  and  washed  their  robes  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.' 
My  time  is  taken  up  from  morning  to  evening  every  day  in 
trying,  as  God  enables  me,  to  promote  the  kingdom  of  our 
Lord ;  and  such  is  your  employ !  Let  us  both  '  cleave  to  the 
Lord  with  purpose  of  heart.'  Let  us  remember  that  our 
Saviour  will  prepare  us  by  His  Spirit  for  His  heavenly  king- 
dom, in  the  way  of  prayer  and  watchfulness,  in  the  study  of 
His  word  for  the  edification  of  our  own  souls,  and  in  continual 
regard  to  His  dispensations  towards  us.  May  He  discover 
more  and  more  to  you  your  own  depravity,  and  keep  you  hum- 
ble, teachable,  and  simple-minded !  May  Christ  our  Saviour 
reveal  to  you  continually  His  own  grace  and  that  fulness  which 
is  in  Him !  May  the  Holy  Spirit  enlighten  you  more  and  more 
in  the  knowledge  of  Christ !  Oh  !  my  Christian  Brother,  let 
me  encourage  you  to  walk  with  Jesus,  as  a  friend  walks  with 
a  friend !  When  I  can  do  this,  then  am  I  happy  and  my  work 
prospers.  May  His  wisdom  guide  you.  His  righteousness 
clothe  you.  His  spirit  sanctify  you,  and  His  full  and  eternal  re- 
demption crown  you !  May  you  be  enabled  from  your  heart  to 
say  with  blessed  Paul,  '  The  life  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live 
by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me  and  gave  Himself 
for  me !' 

"  Believe  me.  Dear  Brother, 

"  Yours,  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  love, 

"  JosiAii  Pratt." 

The  journals  of  Abdool's  proceedings  were  always 
looked  for  with  avidity,  as  they  tended  greatly  to  give 
a  reality  to  the  importance  and  hopefulness  of  Missio- 
nary work  in  the  East.  In  forwarding  some  of  these 
interesting  documents  from  Mr.  Corrie,  Mr.  Thoma- 
son  writes  to  Mr,  Pratt : — 


92  HOPEFUL  PROSPECTS.  [Chap.  VI. 

"  Dec.  7,  1813. 

"  I  liave  been  feasting  on  the  thought  of  the  satisfaction  you 
will  all  derive  from  these  interesting  details.  Abdool  proves  a 
steady,  zealous,  humble  labourer.  Corrie  has  increasing  com- 
fort in  him,  and  the  work  prospers.  Surely  we  have  every  en- 
couragement to  labour.  I  know  not  how  these  things  will 
appear  to  you  in  England;  but  we  in  this  remote  corner,— com- 
paring the  great  efforts  now  making  by  the  nation  for  obtaining 
facilities  to  Missionary  labours  in  India  with  the  work  actually 
begun  and  in  progress,  hopeful  progress — cannot  but  acknow- 
ledge the  gracious  hand  of  Providence.  You  are  labouring  for 
us  there,  and  God  is  shewing  you  that  there  is  really  work  to 
be  done  here.  Thus,  whilst  the  labourers  are  preparing,  the 
fields  are  becoming  white.  This  new  day  rejoices  our  hearts 
greatly :  a  new  day  it  may  be  called ;  for  never  before  has  the 
Gospel  been  attended  with  such  remarkable  effects  in  this 
quarter.  Learned  Mussulmans  have  been  peculiarly  stubborn 
hitherto :  now  they  have  been  made  to  bend,  as  you  will  per- 
ceive in  more  recent  instances  at  Agra.  And  I  have  a  strong 
hope  that  we  shall  see  greater  things  done.  The  tidings  of 
Abdool  must  have  arrived  amidst  all  your  noble  exertions,  and 
must  have  enforced  the  arguments  of  those  who  contend  for  the 
prudent  exercise  of  Missionary  zeal.  Doubtless  we  must  ex- 
pect opposition;  and  soon,  perhaps,  severe  trials  will  arise: 
but  we  may  safely  leave  events  to  God.  Our  business  is,  in 
faith  and  prayer  to  cast  in  the  seed,  and  to  leave  the  Great 
Head  of  the  Church  to  prosper  His  own  work. 

"The  simple,  modest,  statements  of  Corrie  will  gratify 
you  much.  The  story  speaks  for  itself  I  have  ventured  to 
suggest  to  him  the  necessity  for  waiting  a  little  longer  before 
the  new  converts  are  baptized,  lest  we  should  be  ashamed  of 
our  confidence.  He  is,  however,  greatly  my  superior  in  all 
wisdom  and  Missionary  graces,  and  needs  no  help  from  me. 
Perhaps  the  caution  might  have  come  from  your  Society ;  and 


1813]  MR.  SCHNARRE  AND  MR.  RHENIUS.  93 

I  mean  only  to  shew  that   it  has  been  anticipated.     I  have 
more  to  say,  which  I  must  send  by  the  regular  packet. 

"  Yours,  affectionately, 

"  Thomas  Thomason." 

But  the  successful  termination  of  the  arduous  con- 
test of  1813  opened  a  door  for  the  admission  of  Mis- 
sionaries into  India,  of  which  the  Society  were  now 
especially  desirous  to  avail  themselves.  Mr..  Pratt 
writes  on  the  12th  of  August,  1813,  to  his  friend  Mr. 
Thomason : — 

"  I  am  happy  to  announce  to  you  that  the  bill  for  renewing 
the  Charter  of  the  [East-India]  Company  has  passed  with  such 
provisions  as  will,  we  trust,  gradually  open  India  to  wise  and 
pious  men.  Two  excellent  young  Lutheran  Clergymen,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Schnarre  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rhenius,  educated  and 
ordained  in  Berlin,  and  destined  by  us  for  Africa,  have  been 
diverted  from  that  destination,  in  order  that  they  may  proceed 
to  the  Peninsula  to  join  their  venerable  countryman,  Dr.  John 
[of  the  Tranquebar  Mission],  in  superintending  his  schools. 
His  'Indian  Civilization'  has  been  printed  here.  I  inclose  a 
copy.  Colonel  Macaulay  called  our  attention  to  the  subject. 
We  purpose  to  apply  for  leave  for  them  to  sail  by  the  Spring 
ships,  and  trust  we  shall  succeed. 

"  The  establishment  of  these  young  men  in  such  a  situation, 
and  that  of  others  who  may  perhaps  follow  them,  will  require 
the  superintending  aid  of  an  Auxiliary  Society,  which  may  be 
the  medium  of  communication  between  us  and  our  different 
concerns  in  India.  Earl  Moira  [the  new  Governor-General] 
has  expressed  his  favour  towards  our  object;  and  would,  in  all 
probability,  take  the  head  of  such  an  Institution.  The  late  dis- 
cussions on  the  subject  of  India,  and  the  spirit  which  has  been 
excited  throughout  the  country,  are  both  a  call  and  a  help  to 
us,  in  more  widely  extending  the  usefulness  of  the  Society. 


94  FOUR  MISSIONARIES  [Chap.  VI. 

Bristol,  as  you  will  see,  has  done  munificently,  and  other  places 
are  following." 

Two  Clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England — the  Rev. 
Thomas  Norton  and  the  Rev.  William  Greenwood — 
were  also  at  this  time  preparing  for  Missionary  work 
in  India.  There  was  some  delay  in  their  departure, 
owing  to  the  necessity  of  their  serving  curacies  at 
home,  as  at  that  time  there  were  no  facilities  for  ordi- 
nation at  home  or  abroad  for  service  in  the  Missionary 
field.  There  were,  doubtless,  some  advantages  to  be 
derived  from  the  exercise  of  their  ministry  for  a  time 
among  elder  brethren,  but  it  was  not  unattended  with 
a  danger  which  seems  to  have  been  sensibly  felt  by 
Mr.  Pratt.     He  writes  to  one  of  them  : — 

"  I  have  been  thinking  that  it  might  be  very  desirable  for 
you  to  have  a  few  good  books  on  Missionary  subjects,  such  as 
Brainerd,  &c.,  in  order  to  keep  alive  your  feelings  toward  your 
great  work :  but  I  know  not  how  your  time  is  occupied,  and 
whether  you  have  opportunity  for  any  thing  more  than  your 
pastoral  and  public  duties,  and  that  private  study  which  is  ne- 
cessarily connected  with  your  ministry.  Let  me  know  how 
you  are  situated  in  this  respect. 

"  Let  your  closet,  and  your  knees,  and  your  Bible,  have 
much  to  do  with  you.  Look  forward  to  your  great  employ  ; 
and  keep  alive,  by  meditation  and  prayer,  a  feeling  of  commi- 
seration for  the  wretched  heathen,  and  of  zeal  for  your  Saviour's 
honour  in  their  salvation." 

On  the  7th  of  January,  1814,  these  four  Missionary 
brethren — the  two  Clergymen  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land and  the  two  Lutherans — received  their  instruc- 
tions at  a  General  Meeting  of  the  Society,  called  toge- 


1814  ]  SENT  TO  INDIA.  95 

ther  at  Freemasons'  Hall  for  the  special  purpose.  It 
was  an  occasion  of  deep  interest,  for  these  were  the 
first  Missionaries  of  the  Church  of  England  who  were 
sent  forth  to  preach  among  the  heathen  "  the  unsearch- 
able riches  of  Christ ;"  and  it  was  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  which  had  the  honour  of  carrying  this 
great  design  into  eflect. 

An  able  Address  to  the  Missionaries  was  drawn  up 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Claudius  Buchanan,  but,  in  conse- 
quence of  ill  health,  delivered  l)y  his  fripnd  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Dealtry ;  and  soon  after  this  important  Meeting, 
the  brethren  embarked  upon  their  high  errand. 

The  friends  of  Missions  began  now,  with  new  hopes, 
to  turn  their  eyes  to  the  Universities  for  help  in  the 
large  field  opened  in  the  East.  There  were  many 
friends  of  the  cause  resident  in  these  seats  of  learning  ; 
and  in  one  of  them  was  a  friend  who  had  long  taken 
a  peculiar  interest  in  the  spiritual  good  of  India,  and 
had  exerted  his  influence  in  concurrence  with  that 
noble  character,  Mr.  Charles  Grant,  to  procure  fit 
men  to  fill  the  appointments  of  Chaplains.  He  had 
kept  up  a  constant  correspondence  with  Martyn,  and 
Corrie,  and  Thomason,  and  to  all  of  them,  it  need 
scarcely  be  said,  he  was  most  sincerely  attached.  The 
following  characteristic  note  from  this  remarkable 
man  will  shew  the  avidity  with  which  he  looked  for 
tidings  from  the  East : — 

Rev.  Charles  Simeon  to  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt. 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND 

"  I  have  received  a  line  from  Mr.  Thomason,  saying  that  im- 
portant letters  for  me  are  entrusted  to  you.     Have  you  received 


f)(j  REV.  CHARLES  SIMEON.  [Chap.  VI. 

them  ?  and  have  you  sent  them  to  me  ?  I  shall  lose  the  oppor- 
tunity of  answering  them  by  the  ship  that  is  going  out  if  you 
do  not  foi'ward  them  immediately. 

"  Pray  lose  not  a  post,  but  send  them  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible to 

"  Your  impatient  Friend, 

"  C.  Simeon. 

'^King's  College,  Cambridge,  Aug.  20,  1814." 

To  this  ardent  friend  of  India's  evangelization,  who 
had  been  so  instrumental  in  obtaining  good  Chaplains, 
Mr.  Pratt  applied,  as  best  able  and  most  likely  to 
supply  the  want  which  was  now  pressing  upon  the 
Society. 

To  the  Rev.  Charles  Simeon. 

"  Church  Missionary  House,  Aug.  22, 1814. 
"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND — 

******* 

"  We  are  anxious  to  obtain  one  or  two  Clergymen,  well- 
informed  and  able  men,  to  enter  into  the  great  work  of  God 
which  is  carrying  on  at  Agra.  They  must  not  go  out  from  us 
as  an  East-India  Company's  Chaplain  would  go,  with  the  de- 
sign to  do  the  w^ork  of  his  Master  as  a  Chaplain,  and  then 
return  with  something  of  a  provision  for  life,  hardly  earned  and 
justly  deserved ;  but  they  must  go  forth  with  the  full  spirit  of 
Missionaries.  They  shall  be  supported  (I  speak  in  the  name 
and  with  the  authority  of  the  Committee)  in  every  respect  as  an 
able,  learned,  and  devoted  Missionary  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land ought,  under  the  circumstances  in  w^hich  they  may  be 
placed,  to  be  supported.  To  the  great  work  of  God,  which 
is  so  prosperously  advancing  in  the  world,  it  is  supposed  that 
they  entirely  devote  themselves.  If  they  do,  neither  wife  nor 
children  will  be  disregarded  by  the  Society.  Now  it  is  a  few 
such  men  that  we  want,  and  you,  my  dear  friend,  will  (as  I  am 


1814.]  THE  FIRST  BISHOP  OF  CALCUTTA.  97 

sure  you  yourself  will  see)  greatly  help  forward  the  work  of 
God,  if  you  can  point  out  such  men. 

"  Believe  me  ever  yours, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

It  is  a  lamentable  fact,  that  this  and  similar  ap- 
peals to  these  nurseries  of  the  Church  have  hitherto 
never  met  with  the  success  which  might  justly  have 
been  looked  for.  Individual  instances  might  be 
shewn  of  self-devotedness,  but  the  number  has  not 
been  great. 

But  a  responsible  duty  had  now  fallen  to  the  lot  of 
His  Majesty's  Ministers  in  the  appointment  of  a  fit 
man  to  fill  the  arduous  and  untried  post  of  first 
Bishop  of  Calcutta.  The  best  friends  of  India  awaited 
the  decision  with  much  anxiety.  Dr.  Middleton, 
Archdeacon  of  Huntington,  was  preferred  to  the  im- 
portant See.  He  was  Vicar  of  the  large  parish  of  St. 
Pancras,  in  which  Mr.  Pratt  resided.  The  Arch- 
deacon and  he  had  always  been  on  the  most  friendly 
terms ;  but  their  intercourse  had  been  almost  wholly 
confined  to  interviews  at  Vestry  Meetings  of  the  pa- 
rish, where  Mr.  Pratt  was  one  of  the  main  supporters 
of  his  Vicar,  for  whose  talents  and  active  benevolence 
he  entertained  the  highest  regard ;  to  which  was 
afterwards  superadded  a  strong  sense  of  the  fidelity 
and  zeal  with  which  he  discharged  his  high  office  in 
India.  But  Dr.  Middleton  had  never  been  in  any 
way  connected  with  the  Church  Missionary  Society ; 
and  therefore  it  remained  to  be  seen,  what  part  he 
would  take  in  reference  to  its  proceedings  in  the 
diocese  to  which  he  was  now  appointed. 

H 


98  QUESTIONS  AS  TO  THE  EXTENT  [Chap.  VI. 

Two  questions  speedily  arose  regarding  the  extent 
of  authority  committed  to  the  Bishop  by  his  letters 
patent.  The  first  referred  to  his  power  of  ordaining 
Native  Converts  to  the  ministry  ;  the  other  to  the 
adaptation  of  the  Canons  of  the  Church  at  home  to 
the  altered  circumstances  of  the  East.  Mr.  Pratt  had 
always  looked  forward  to  the  rearing  of  a  Native 
Ministry  wherever  Missions  were  planted.  "  India," 
he  writes  to  his  friend  Mr.  Thomason,  "  must  be  w'on 
to  the  faith  chiefly  by  the  instrumentality  of  her  own 
sons ;  and  when  God's  time  of  full  mercy  to  her  is 
come,  we  shall  see  multitudes  of  natives,  like-minded 
with  Abdool  Messeeh  and  other  labourers,  stepping 
forward  to  the  work."  The  a^jpointment  of  a  Bishop 
to  India  had,  therefore,  awakened  a  lively  hope  that 
some  of  the  Readers  employed  by  the  Society  might 
now  be  prepared  for  ordination  ;  but  this  hope  was 
sadly  damped  for  a  time.  Bishop  Middleton  con- 
ceived that  his  letters  patent,  properly  interpreted, 
gave  him  no  authority  to  ordain  natives  of  India ;  and 
soon  after  he  embarked  the  friends  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  w^ere  alarmed  upon  learning  that 
this  was  the  view  taken  of  the  matter  by  some  influ- 
ential persons  at  home. 

In  reply  to  a  question  put  by  Mr.  Thomason  re- 
garding the  ordination  of  the  Readers,  Mr.  Pratt 
writes  as  follows  : — 

"  I  am  very  sorry  to  learn  that  Mr.  Corrie's  health  is  so  in- 
different that  it  seems  doubtful  whether  he  must  not  visit 
Europe.  In  this  case,  the  question  put  to  us  respecting  the 
ordination  of  our  Readers  becomes  one  of  immediate  inipor- 


1814.]  OF  THE  BISHOP'S  AUTHORITY.  99 

tance.  We  have  some  fears  that  it  is  meant  to  restrict  the 
Enghsh  Bishop  from  ordaining  natives.  If  so,  the  Committee 
will  exert  tliemselves  to  procure  the  removal  of  this  most  im- 
politic and  most  unseemly  restriction.  If,  however,  it  should 
be  found,  on  his  arrival  in  India,  that,  either  from  necessity  or 
choice,  he  declines  the  service  which  may  be  asked  of  him,  you 
have  a  resource  in  the  Lutheran  Clergymen,  whose  ordination, 
as  you  know,  has  been  admitted  by  the  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge.  But  still  it  seems  highly  desirable  not 
to  recur  to  them  till  every  means  for  obtaining  unequivocal 
Episcopal  ordination  shall  have  been  tried." 

The  restriction  regarding  the  power  of  the  Bishop 
to  confer  Holy  Orders  on  Native  Converts  has  long 
since  been  removed.  But  Bishop  Middleton  never  felt 
at  liberty  to  change  the  opinion  he  first  formed  upon 
this  subject ;  and  therefore,  during  the  seven  years 
and  a  half  of  his  episcopate,  the  door  was  entirely 
closed  for  the  admission  of  Abdool  Messeeh  and  his 
companions  into  the  sacred  ministry  in  connection 
with  the  Church  to  which  they  belonged. 

Thus  disappointed  in  any  immediate  prospect  of 
training  a  Native  Ministry  in  the  Church  of  England, 
the  Society  were  obliged  to  content  themselves  with 
Lutheran  ordination  ;  and  on  the  3d  of  October,  1820, 
Abdool  was  set  apart  to  the  office  by  the  Lutheran 
Missionaries  then  in  Calcutta.  A  few  months  pre- 
viously to  this  another  of  the  Society's  Readers,  Wil- 
liam Bowley,  a  country-born  young  man,  and  who,  as 
is  well  known,  became  one  of  the  most  intelligent  and 
devoted  of  the  Society's  Missionaries,  received  Luthe- 
ran Orders  in  the  Dutch  Church  of  Chinsurah.  Wlien 
the  doubt  regarding  ordination  was  removed,  upon 

n  2 


100  QUESTIONS  AS  TO  THE  EXTENT  [Chap.  VI. 

tlie  appointment  of  Bishop  Middleton's  successor,  both 
Abdool  and  Mr.  Bowley  were  episcopally  ordained,  as 
the  difficulty  of  licensing  Missionaries  was  at  the  same 
time  overruled ;  and  it  was  considered  right,  for  the 
sake  of  uniformity  and  discipline,  that  such  Missionaries 
as  were  not  unwilling  to  make  the  change  should  be 
re-ordained  according  to  the  forms  of  that  Church 
to  which  the  Society  belonged. 

With  regard  to  the  other  question  which  has  been 
adverted  to,  the  friends  of  Missions  were  for  a  time 
to  suffer  still  further  disappointment,  as  to  the  advan- 
tages expected  to  accrue  from  the  erection  of  the 
See  of  Calcutta.  It  was  justly  regarded  by  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  as  a  very  great  step  gained 
in  the  renewal  of  the  Charter — and  it  was  one  to 
which  their  own  exertions  had  greatly  contributed — 
that  the  English  Church  was  now  established  in  its 
integrity  in  the  British  Possessions  in  the  East.  But 
in  carrying  out  this  great  and  important  measure 
some  details  in  the  arrangements  had  been  over- 
looked, either  from  haste  and  inexperience,  or  left  to 
be  supplied  as  circumstances  should  require.  It  was 
found  that,  in  several  respects,  the  Canons  were  not 
applicable  to  the  circumstances  of  a  Missionary  Church. 
The  INIissionaries  were  sent  out,  under  the  authority 
and  protection  of  the  new  Charter,  to  labour  among 
the  heathen,  and  not  to  confine  their  ministrations  to 
a  settled  Christian  congregation.  The  Bishop  felt 
unable,  therefore,  to  extend  his  official  licence  even  to 
those  of  them  who  had  received  ordination  in  the 
Church  of  England,  in  consequence  of  the  peculiarity 


1814.]  OF  THE  BISHOP'S  AUTHORITY.  101 

of  their  duties,  which  were  in  no  way  contemplated 
in  the  framing  of  the  Canons.  And  for  this  reason,  as 
they  were  without  his  licence,  he  felt  under  the  pain- 
ful necessity  of  refusing  to  recognise  even  their  occa- 
sional ministrations  to  English  congregations  which 
came  within  his  jurisdiction,  and  which,  from  the 
paucity  of  Chaplains,  would,  without  these  voluntary 
services,  in  many  instances  have  been  wholly  deprived 
of  the  public  means  of  grace. 

The  conduct  of  the  Bishop  under  the  embarrassing 
circumstances  in  which  he  felt  himself  placed,  and  his 
evident  desire  to  do  what  he  could  to  mark  his  ap- 
proval of  Missionary  operations,  are  happily  adverted 
to  by  Mr.  Pratt  in  a  sermon  which  he  preached  twenty 
years  later,  at  the  consecration  of  the  friend  to  whose 
Missionary  exertions  allusion  is  made  in  the  following 
extract : — 

"  Never  will  the  preacher  forget  that  admiration  of  Bishop 
Middleton's  spirit  which  was  awakened  in  his  mind,  when,  in 
his  Lordship's  Primary  Charge,  struggling  under  the  restric- 
tions which  his  appointment  seemed  to  lay  on  him  and  his 
clergy,  and  yet  anxious  to  find  some  method  by  which  they 
could  reconcile  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  heathen  perishing 
around  them  with  their  almost  exclusive  appointment  to  the 
service  of  the  Europeans  under  their  care,  lie  exultingly  held 
forth  the  then  Chaplain  of  Agra  as  a  model  to  his  brethren,  in 
uniting  an  anxious  and  active  concern  for  the  surrounding 
heathen  with  a  faithful  and  vigilant  discharge  of  his  duties  as 
Chaplain."* 


*  In  the  passage  of  the  Charge  here   alluded   to,  the  Bishop   says, 
"  Among  the  Missionary  proceedings  of  the  i)resent  day,  I  have  met  with 

none 


IU2  THE  CANONS.  [Cii.\r.  VI. 

The  difTiculties  arising  from  the  want  of  adaptation 
of  the  Canons  and  Ecclesiastical  Law  of  England  to  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  Missionary  operations  still 
exist,  though  they  are  not  allowed  to  interfere  in  any 
practical  way  with  the  working  of  the  Missions.  In- 
deed, Bishop  Middleton  himself,  who  at  first  felt  the 
difficulties  to  be  peculiarly  great,  was  (as  we  shall  see) 
preparing  to  make  concessions  on  this  point  at  the 
time  when  death  removed  him  from  his  arduous  and 
important  office.  Whenever  Missionary  districts  shall, 
by  the  blessing  of  God  upon  the  labours  of  His  servants, 
pass  out  of  their  present  transition  state,  and  become 
settled  Christian  communities  and  fixed  parochial 
charges,  the  Canons  will  again  become  as  applicable 
to  them  as  to  us  at  home.  But,  in  the  meantime,  a 
new  code,  applicable  to  the  transition  state,  is  a  desi- 
deratum, and  one  the  importance  of  which  Mr.  Pratt 
often  insisted  on,  as  we  shall  have  future  opportuni- 
ties of  shewing. 

The  failure  of  Mr.  Corrie's  health,  referred  to  in 
the  extract  of  the  letter  last  quoted,  brought  him  to 
England  in  1815.  Upon  this  occasion  commenced 
that  alTectionate  intimacy  between  him  and  Mr.  Pratt, 
which  continued  through  so  many  years,  and  which 
death  alone  interrupted. 

The  time  of  Mr.  Corrie's  visit  to  England  was  most 
opportune,  coming  as  it  did  so  soon  after  the  attention 


none  which  have  been  conducted  with  a  happier  combination  of  zeal  and 
judgment  than  one  of  your  own  body  has  displayed."  (In  a  Note)  "  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Corrie,  of  Agra." 


1815.]  MR.  CORRIE.  I0;j 

of  the  public  to  Missions  had  been  aroused  by  the 
discussions  upon  the  renewal  of  the  Company's  Char- 
ter. Having  been  a  witness  of  the  miseries  of  the  hea- 
then, his  testimony,  wherever  he  travelled  in  behalf 
of  the  cause  of  Missions,  came  with  peculiar  weight. 
And,  as  Mr.  Pratt  subsequently  wrote  of  him,  "  he 
wrought  such  an  impression  by  his  own  tenderness 
and  simplicity  of  spirit,  that  the  love  of  the  souls 
of  the  heathen  has  been,  by  the  blessing  of  God  on  his 
labours,  deeply  infixed  in  the  hearts  of  multitudes." 

To  the  Rev.  Joseph  Parson,  one  of  the  Company's 
Chaplains,  he  writes  as  follows  : — 

"■April  11,  1817. 

"  Of  the  effect  of  our  dear  friend  Mr.  Corrie's  visit  to  this 
country,  in  bringing  us  more  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
actual  condition  of  things  in  India,  and  in  diffusing  still  more 
widely  a  steady  and  holy  zeal  for  the  honour  of  our  Lord  in 
that  region,  I  am  almost  afraid  of  speaking,  lest  you  should 
think  us  too  sanguine.  But  he  carries  back  to  India  an  im- 
pression of  what  he  has  seen  and  heard,  ^vhich  I  earnestly 
pray  God  may  have  its  full  influence  on  all  your  minds.  *  ♦  * 
Thousands,  and,  I  may  say,  tens  of  thousands  of  Christians 
in  our  Church  are  here  praying  for  India,  and  giving  both  of 
their  substance  and  of  their  poverty,  and  are  looking  with 
longing  eyes  for  the  enlightening  and  conversion  of  its  count- 
less multitudes. 

"  My  dear  Sir,  if  the  scenes  around  you,  and  the  climate, 
and  the  circumstances  in  which  you  are  placed,  have  a  con- 
tinual tendency  to  dishearten  and  weaken  your  hopes  and  your 
efibrts,  we  do  earnestly  call  on  all  our  friends,  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  to  take  courage,  and  to  employ  every  talent  for 
the  advancing  of  His  kingdom.  You  are  supported  by  much 
love,  and  by  many  prayers,  and  by  strong  faith  among  us  here  ; 


10 1  LETTERS  TO  MISSIONARIES.  [Chap.  VI. 

and  what  will  not  these,  in  the  strength  of  our  Saviour,  con- 
quer and  destroy.  Satan  is  malicious  and  subtle,  and  trembles 
for  his  empire.     But  let  us  not  be  ignorant  of  his  devices." 

Two  Lutheran  Missionaries  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  accompanied  Mr.  Corrie  on  his  return 
to  India  ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  year  seven  in  English 
Orders  followed  them,  four  destined  for  Ceylon.  The 
number  of  labourers  was  thus  happily  increasing  : 
during  the  four  years  from  1814  to  1817  fifteen  went 
forth  to  the  East;  eleven  of  them  of  the  English 
Church,  and  four  of  the  Lutheran. 

Mr.  Pratt  frequently  wrote  to  the  Missionaries,  and 
his  letters  were  full  of  advice  admirably  adapted  to 
their  several  circumstances.  To  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Norton  he  thus  writes : — 

"  You  have  a  noble  field  before  you.  Oh !  may  you  be  kept 
humble,  meek,  zealous,  believing,  and  persevering ;  '  giving 
no  offence  in  any  thing,  that  the  ministry  be  not  blamed.' 
May  you  '  make  full  proof  of  your  ministry '  on  the  one  hand, 
and  'please  all  men  to  their  edification'  on  the  other.  You 
know  how  anxiously  we  w^atch  over  you,  and  how^  many  eyes 
are  upon  us  ;  and  much  of  our  character  and  honour  as  a 
Society,  as  well  as  the  great  cause  which  we  have  at  heart,  is 
in  your  hands." 

At  the  same  date  he  writes  to  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Schnarre,  Rhenius,  Benjamin  Bailey,  and  Dawson  : — 

"  We  trust  you  will,  dear  brethren,  give  yourselves  wholly 
and  unitedly  to  the  great  work  to  which  God  has  called  you, 
to  make  known  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  to  the  hea- 
then. Refresh  your  hearts  by  continually  meditating  on  the 
Saviour's  sufferings,  the  gracious  end  which  He  had  in  view, 
and  that  love  which  made  Him  gladly  suffer  for  sinful  men." 


1817.]  LETTERS  TO  MISSIONARIES.  105 

To  one  whose  natural  propensity  was  to  be  less  at- 
tentive to  economy  than  he  should  have  been,  he  thus 
writes  : — 

"  Ever  remember  the  caution,  '  Mind  not  high  things,  but 
condescend  to  men  of  low  estate.'  If  you  are  expecting  to  be 
on  a  par  in  appearance,  dress,  &c.,  with  Europeans  who  have 
lucrative  situations,  you  will  bring  yourself  into  innumerable 
difficulties,  and  greatly  hinder  your  usefulness.  Your  respec- 
tability must  be  weight  of  character ;  and  must  be  grounded, 
therefore,  on  your  zeal,  your  simplicity,  and  your  godly  sin- 
cerity. This  respectability  will  greatly  promote  your  useful- 
ness :  any  other  would  only  be  a  stumbling-block  to  those 
around  you.  Aim  at  great  things,  not  in  this  world,  but  in 
the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  and  how  can  we  direct  you  to  a 
higher  human  example  than  to  that  of  St.  Paul  ?  Continually 
copy  his  zeal,  his  patience,  his  humility,  and  his  labours  of 
love.  Remember  him  when  he  says  :  '  Neither  did  we  eat  any 
man's  bread  for  nought ;  but  wrought  with  labour  and  travail, 
night  and  day,  that  we  might  not  be  chargeable  to  any  of  you.' 
He  was  willing  to  labour,  and  did  labour,  with  his  own  hands, 
to  minister  to  his  necessities.  Now,  though  we  do  not  call 
you  to  any  thing  of  this  sort,  we  do  exhort  you  to  all  prudent 
economy ;  ever  recollecting,  that  what  you  unnecessarily  spend 
is  just  so  much  hindrance  to  us  in  sending  other  Missionaries 
to  help  in  the  work  of  the  Lord." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

1813—1817. 

DIFFICULTIES  OF  THi;  WEST-AFRICA    MISSION — DIRECTIONS    TO    ENTER    UPON 

A  SYSTEMATIC  COURSE  OF  PREACHING —TUE  SLAVE  TRADE RETURN  OF 

THE  MISSIONARY  WHO  HAD  BEEN  REMOVED  FROM  THE  SOCIETY — LET- 
TERS OF  MR.  PRATT  UNDER  VARIOUS  PAINFUL  CIRCUMSTANCES — THE 
SLAVE  TRADE  IS  AT  LENGTH  OVERRULED  AS  AN  INDIRECT  INSTRUMENT 

OF    SUCCESS — MR.    BICKERSTETh's    VISIT    TO     AFRICA MORE     DEATHS — 

MR.  JOHNSON  SENT  OUT  WITH  THREE  OTHER  SCHOOLMASTERS — ABAN- 
DONMENT OF  BASIIIA  AND  CANOFFEE  — PROPOSAL  FOR  A  CHURCH  MISSIO- 
NARY SHIP. 

While  the  great  events  were  transpiring  at  home, 
which  so  happily  terminated  in  opening  the  East  to 
the  entrance  of  the  Gospel,  the  labourers  in  the  West- 
Africa  Mission  were  still  bearing  the  burden  and  heat 
of  the  day.  They  were  struggling  on  through  sick- 
nesses and  deaths,  and  a  multitude  of  discourage- 
ments. They  had  toiled  all  the  night ;  and  though 
it  cannot  be  said  that  they  had  taken  nothing,  yet 
their  success,  after  so  much  labour  and  at  such  a 
cost,  was  far  beneath  the  hopes  they  had  cherished 
themselves,  as  well  as  the  expectations  entertained  at 
home.  Nine  years  had  elapsed  since  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Mission,  and  no  very  manifest  and  per- 
manent benefit  had  followed,  Nine  Missionaries  had 
been  sent  out;  two  of  whom  had  been  suddenly 
cut  off  by  death  in  the  midst  of  their  work,  and  one 
had  deserted  the  cause.  Within  a  year  of  the  arrival 
of  the  three  laymen,  who  accompanied  Mr.  Butscher 


1813—1817.]  WEST.AFRICA  MISSION.  107 

on  his  return  to  Africa  with  a  view  to  assist  in  the  con- 
cerns of  the  Mission,  and  augment  its  influence  upon 
the  natives  by  teaching  the  art^  of  civilized  life,  they 
and  their  wives  were  all  swept  away  by  a  fatal  sick- 
ness.    Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  the  survivors : — 

'■'■  August  IG,  1813. 
"Your  friends,  we  trust,  are  gone  to  a  better  world,  and  have 
found  the  purpose  of  their  hearts  accepted  through  their  blessed 
Redeemer,  though  it  did  not  please  Him  to  let  them  enter  on 
the  field  of  labour.  But  with  this  uncertainty  of  life  before 
your  eyes,  we  pray  God  to  pi'eserve  you  watchful  and  diligent ; 
that  when  He  shall  come  ye  may  be  found  of  Him  in  peace, 
and  doing  the  work  as  well  as  bearing  the  yoke  of  the  Lord. 
Indeed,  it  is  the  spirit  of  resignation  to  God's  will,  and  the  zeal 
for  your  work  which  is  manifested  by  you,  that  chiefly  rewards 
us  for  the  pains  occasioned  by  our  disappointments.  And  if 
any  one  should  be  tempted  to  a  contrary  course,  we  trust  that 
God  will  give  him  grace  to  pause,  and  to  repent." 

He  then  endeavours  to  animate  them  by  stating  the 
important  changes  which  had  been  made  with  regard 
to  India,  and  the  vigour  wdth  which  the  Christian 
public  were  taking  up  the  Missionary  cause.  He 
adds : — 

"  Now,  all  this  should  both  encourage  and  stimulate  you. — 
It  should  encourage  you,  that  so  many  are  beginning  to  take 
an  interest  in  the  success  of  Missions,  and  that  the  prayers  put 
up  for  you  are  continually  increasing;  and  it  should  stimulate 
you  to  activity  and  perseverance,  to  consider  how  many  eyes 
are  fixed  on  your  proceedings,  and  how  many  cars  are  open  to 
receive  tidings  of  your  zeal  and  devotedness,  and  how  many 
hearts  will  be  gladdened  by  your  piety,  or  pained  by  your 
failings."' 


108  IMPORTANCE  OF  PREACHING.  [Ciiai'.VII. 

In  the  instructions  delivered  to  Mr.  Butscher  before 
his  return,  and  transmitted  to  his  brethren,  the  atten- 
tion of  the  Missionaries  had  been  particularly  drawn 
to  the  great  importance  of  commencing  a  systematic 
course  of  preaching  among  the  heathen  from  village 
to  village.  The  attempt  had  been  made  already,  and 
failed,  in  a  great  measure  from  the  influence  of  the 
Slave  Trade ;  and  they  had  been  obliged  to  fall  back 
upon  their  schools,  as  the  chief  instruments  of  doing 
good.  But  the  direct  preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  so 
essential  a  branch  of  Missionary  work,  that  it  was  felt 
that  every  effort  should  be  made  to  overcome  the 
difficulties. 

The  new  interest  which  was  now  being  taken  in  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel  among  the  heathen  seemed  to  af- 
ford a  fit  occasion  for  urging  this  afresh  ;  and  Mr.  Pratt 
writes  accordingly  to  the  Missionaries,  Nov.  26, 1813 :  — 

"  The  public  are  now  beginning  to  take  a  warm  interest  in 
the  Society's  concerns.  We  have  aroused  their  feelings  and 
awakened  their  consciences.  Many  eyes  are  turned  on  our 
Missionaries.  Unless  the  fruits  of  a  Christian  Mission  now 
established  for  several  years  become  visible  in  our  Report  of 
Proceedings,  we  shall  very  soon  have  to  defend  the  Society, 
and  to  apologise  for  it,  in  respect  to  the  Susoo  Mission,  rather 
than  lay  claim  to  the  public  favour  and  support.  Schools  are 
our  foundation.  We  and  our  Missionaries  did  well  in  laying 
that  foundation  ;  but  the  foundation  is  laid  in  order  to  the  rear- 
ing the  superstructure.  Success  belongs  not  to  us,  nor  to  our 
Missionaries  ;  but  attempts  and  exertions  do.  The  Christian 
public  will  be  fully  satisfied,  if  they  witness  these  attempts 
vigorously  made  and  patiently  persevered  in,  knowing  that 
God  alone  can  give  the  increase  and  success." 


1813-1817]        HINDRANCE  FROM  SLAVE  TRADE.  109 

At  a  later  date  he  urges  the  same  course  on  one  of 
the  brethren  who  had  by  tliat  time  acquired  a  compe- 
tent knowledge  of  the  language,  and  shews  him  how- 
to  proceed : — 

"  As  soon  as  possible,  devote  yourself  to  the  pvoclatnation  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  Susoo  tongue.  Collect  them  round  you  in 
smaller  or  larger  numbers.  The  time  is  come !  They  know 
you  now  to  be  honest  men.  They  have  some  esteem  and  re- 
gard for  you.  What  might  have  been  casting  pearls  before 
swine  when  you  first  went  to  their  shores,  seems  now  to  be 
your  urgent  duty.  Fear  no  scoffs  nor  opposition.  ^Preach 
Christ  unto  them.'  Go  as  often,  and  as  far,  into  the  Susoo 
country  as  you  can ;  and,  as  you  go,  at  all  convenient  times 
and  places,  using  that  '  wisdom  which  is  irrof  table  to  direct,' 
'preach,  saying.  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  at  hand!'  Let  us 
have  exact  accounts  of  your  Susoo  preachings,  at  Canoftee  and 
elsewhere :  name  your  subjects,  the  number  of  your  hearers, 
and  the  reception  or  rejection  of  the  word.  This  is  my  settled 
counsel  to  you.  Let  it  be  known  and  quickly  understood  and 
felt  all  over  the  Susoo  country,  tliat  you  and  your  brethren 
have  a  message  to  deliver  to  that  people  from  God.  You  know 
that  I  have  hitherto  said, '  Take  their  children  ;  conciliate  their 
regard ;  prove  yourselves,  even  to  their  conviction,  honest  men : ' 
now  I  say,  '  Use  the  grand  ordinances  of  God!  deliver  His 
message  ;  proclaim  the  Saviour  of  the  world ! '  " 

But  the  continuance  of  the  Slave  Trade  was  an  in- 
creasing source  of  trouble  to  the  i\Iissionaries.  Al- 
though the  British  Parliament  had  abolished  this  nefa- 
rious  traffic  as  far  back  as  March,  1807,  yet  the  African 
coast  was  infested  by  English  smugglers  and  foreign 
traders.  The  hopes  and  fears  of  the  friends  of  Africa 
were  kept  in  constant  exercise  upon  this  subject  for 


110  TflE  SLAVE  TRADE.  [Chap.  VII. 

several  years.  There  was  some  expectation  that  at 
the  Treaty  of  Paris  in  April,  1814,  the  immediate  abo- 
lition of  the  trade  would  be  made  one  of  the  articles 
by  the  Allies.  This  unhappily  was  not  done.  In 
November  Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  the  Missionaries  : — 

"  The  danger  of  our  friends  in  the  Rio  Pongas  from  the 
Slave  Traders  alarmed  us  :  and  M'hen  the  late  Treaty  at  Paris 
(April  23,  1814)  allowed  the  French  to  resume  that  traffic  for 
five  years,  we  anticipated  the  most  fatal  consequences.  In  the 
Missionary  Register  you  will  see  the  proceedings  on  this  busi- 
ness. I  am  very  happy  to  tell  you,  that  last  week  Mr.  Wilber- 
force  sent  me  word  that  the  Duke  of  Wellington  had  written 
to  him  from  Paris  to  say,  that  the  French  had  prohibited  the 
Slave  Trade  to  the  north  of  Cape  Formosa.  I  communicated 
this  happy  intelligence  to  Colonel  Maxwell  [Governor  of  Sierra 
Leone]  on  his  calling  here  a  few  days  since." 

Notwithstanding  this  apparent  improvement,  how- 
ever, the  opposition  created  by  the  Slave  Traders  con- 
tinued. The  calamity  at  the  settlement  ofBashia,  no- 
ticed in  the  following  letter,  seems  to  have  been  the  act 
of  an  incendiary,  instigated  by  persons  connected  with 
the  trade.  The  fears  here  entertained  regarding  the 
Society's  settlements  were  unhappily  too  well  founded, 
as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel. 

"  To  the  Rev.  L.  Bulscher. 

"  LoxDON,  May  Ifi,  1815. 
"  DEAR  BROTHER  BUTSCHER  — 

"  From  your  short  letters  of  Feb.  22,  I  am  not  sure  that  you 
have  received  mine  of  Dec.  1,  as  that  entered  into  the  subject 
of  the  Bashia  and  Canoffee  settlements  ;  and  insinuated  the  pro- 
bability of  its  being  expedient  to  give  up  Bashia,  and  to  aug- 
ment CanofFcc.     The  sad  disaster  of  the  fires  at  Bashia  may 


1815]  THE  SLAVE  TRADE.  HI 

seem  to  confirm  this  opinion,  with  respect  to  leaving  Bashia : 
how  fiir  it  may  affect  Canoffee  I  cannot  say.  The  natives  ap- 
pear most  unjust  and  ungrateful.  What  shall  we  say  of  men, 
who,  after  they  have  seen  you  residing  in  their  country  for  no 
end  but  to  confer  blessings  on  them,  will  allow  you  to  stay 
only  on  condition  of  selling  by  a  larger  measure  than  you  used 
to  do,  and  buying  by  a  smaller ! 

"  The  revival  of  the  French  Slave  Trade  appears  to  have 
been  the  occasion  of  this  renewed  malice.  You  will  rejoice  to 
hear  that  that  trade  is  now  gone.  Buonaparte  is  again  on  the 
throne  of  France  !  and  one  of  his  first  measures  was  to  abolish 
the  French  Slave  Trade  for  ever  [March  29,  1815].  His 
motives  are  obvious.  He  does  it  to  conciliate  this  country, 
and  to  shew  that  his  government  could  and  would  be  more 
humane  than  that  of  the  King.  However,  we  must  acknow- 
ledge the  hand  of  Divine  Providence  herein." 

In  the  midst  of  these  trials  and  disappointments,  it 
was  some  relief  that  the  Missionary,  who  in  1807  was 
separated  from  the  Society,  was  now,  upon  his  mani- 
festing proper  contrition  for  his  conduct,  received 
back  again  into  their  confidence.  His  exemplary 
wife  had  been  driven  home  in  1806  by  severe  illness, 
and  had  continued  in  England  up  to  the  present  time  ; 
but  upon  her  erring  husband's  coming  to  himself 
again,  he  wrote  to  her,  after  a  silence  of  six  years,  en- 
treating her  to  return  to  him  in  Africa,  at  the  same 
time  that  he  sought  a  re-union  with  the  Society  from 
which  he  had  been  so  long  disconnected. 

The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Pratt  to  this  person 
is  marked  by  a  happy  combination  of  faithfulness  and 
affection : — 


112  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  VII. 

"  London,  A^ov.  25,  1814. 

"Dear  H , 

"  Long  have  I  wished  that  I  might  be  authorized  to  address 
you  as  a  friend.  I  hope  that  time  is  come.  Your  letter  to  me 
of  June  4th  last,  and  that  to  your  wife  of  June  6th,  which  she 
sent  to  me,  I  read  to  the  Conmiittee.  We  were  all  exceedingly 
rejoiced  that  God  seems  to  be  recovering  you  to  Himself  I 
will  confess  to  you  that  your  letters  did  not  seem  to  breathe  a 
spirit  of  contrition  and  holy  shame  for  your  sins  so  much  as 
we  wished ;  and  that  they  rather  indicated  that  you  were  weary 
of  your  courses,  through  the  sufferings  to  which  they  had  ex- 
posed you,  than  deeply  conscious  of  the  dishonour  which  you 
had  brought  on  the  name  of  your  Master. 

"  I  say  not  this  to  afflict  you.  You  are  conscious  to  your- 
self of  the  real  state  of  your  mind.  If  God  has,  by  His  un- 
searchable mercy,  given  you  to  mourn  over  your  sins,  you  will 
be  glad  to  have  your  heart  searched  to  the  bottom.  But  I  say 
it,  that  I  may  discharge  the  duty  towards  you  of  a  sincere 
friend. 

"  The  Committee  receive  you  in  the  capacity  of  Translator 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  wish  you  to  bend  your  whole  time  and 
information  to  this  important  work.  You  should  not  wish  to 
come  forward  in  the  responsible  character  of  a  Missionary,  till 
you  have,  by  a  course  of  consistent  conduct,  re-established  your 
character.  Be  thankful  that  there  is  any  employment  in  which 
you  may  be  placed,  and  by  which  you  may  glorify  God. 

"  But  now  what  shall  I  say  ?  What  husband,  circumstanced 
like  you,  could  have  expected  to  see  a  wife  like  yours,  and 
seated  as  she  was  in  the  midst  of  a  circle  of  most  respectable 

friends  at ,  who  loved  and  esteemed  her,  and  who  have 

ever  earnestly  solicited  the  Committee  to  interpose,  and  not 
to  suffer  her  to  risk  her  invaluable  life  until  she  could 
be  fully  satisfied  of  your  deep  repentance  and  unfeigned  re- 
gard ?  But  what  answer  did  she  return  ?  *  She  felt  it  to  be 
her  duty  to  go  to  her  husband,  and  she  left  all  events  with 


1815.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  113 

God  ! '  O, ! !  if  the  return  of  this  heroic  and  blessed 

woman  be  not  the  means  of  fixing  you  in  steady  penitence  and 
abiding  usefuhiess,  it  will  cover  you  with  eternal  shame  and 
aggravated  misery. 

"  But  I  pray  God  that  you  may  walk  together  for  many 
years,  and  take  a  large  share  in  carrying  our  plans  for  the  good 
of  Africa  into  execution. 

"  Nothing  will  give  me  greater  pleasure  than  to  carry  on  this 
correspondence,  which  is  now  re-opened,  for  many  years,  as 
being  '  of  one  heart  and  one  soul '  in  the  service  of  our  Master. 
Many  and  great  are  the  difficulties  and  trials  through  which  my 
mind  passes  with  respect  to  the  African  Mission ;  but  I  shall 
be  relieved  and  rewarded  to  hear  that  you  are  become,  by  the 
Almighty  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  true  penitent  and  a  zealous 
labourer  for  our  Lord. 

"  Believe  me,  your  affectionate  friend, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

It  may  be  an  unpleasing  and  painful  task  to  bring 
to  light  the  defects  of  good  men ;  but  it  is  one  from 
which  the  faithful  recorder  of  events  must  not  shrink. 
We  are  all  too  well  acquainted  with  the  imperfections 
of  the  best  of  men,  to  expect  that  even  sincere 
Christians  should  be  invariably  free  from  grievous 
offences.  When  these  are  unrepented  of,  and  are  con- 
tinually recurring,  we  may  indeed  call  in  question 
the  genuineness  of  the  principles,  and  the  sincerity  of 
the  motives,  of  those  who  are  implicated.  But  where 
they  rarely  occur,  and  are  followed  by  unfeigned  sor- 
row and  true  repentance,  we  have  surely  every  reason 
to  judge  most  favourably  of  the  parties,  and  to  esti- 
mate their  Christian  character  very  highly. 

It  is  with  such  feelings  as  these  that  the  following 


114  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Ciiav.VII. 

letters  will  be  read,  in  which  integrity  and  faithfulness 
in  inflicting  necessary  rebuke  are  so  well  combined 
with  tender  sympathy  towards  those  who  had  been 
"  overtaken  in  a  fault." 

The  first  is  to  one  who  stood  clear  in  the  un- 
happy, though  only  temporary,  difTerence,  which  oc- 
casioned the  correspondence ; — 

"  London,  October  18,  181.5. 

*'  The  deaths  of  our  labourers  deeply  affect  us  ;  but  I  cannot 
say  that  they  so  deeply  affect  me,  as  the  errors  and  infir- 
mities which  accompany  some  of  the  survivors.     I  must  say, 

dear  W ,  that  your  spirit  and  conduct  have  been  a  great 

refreshment  to  my  mind.  I  have  trembled  to  open  the  letters 
of  others,  but  I  always  open  yours  with  pleasure  and  confi- 
dence. I  was  reading  this  morning  in  my  chamber  the  2d 
chapter  to  the  Philippians;  and  when  I  read  the  beginning 
of  that  chapter  I  said  to  myself,  '  Did  the  brethren  in  Africa, 
who  are  complaining  one  against  another,  ever  read  this  pas- 
sage ?  Do  they  know  that  there  is  such  a  passage  in  the 
Word  of  God?'  And  when  I  went  on  and  read,  'Do  all 
things  without  murmurings  and  disputings,  that  ye  may  be 
blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  without  rebuke,  in 
the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  nation,  among  whom  ye 
shine  as  lights  in  the  world  ;  holding  forth  the  word  of  life'; — 
when  I  read  this,  I  said :  *  Is  not  this  Word  written,  as  it 
were,  expressly  for  them  ?  Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  crooked 
and  perverse  nation  among  whom  they  live  are  little  the  better 
for  them,  while  these  murmurings  and  disputings  shew  that 
they  are  not  'blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons  of  God,  with- 
out rebuke,'  and  that  they  do  not  '  shine  as  lights,'  '  holding 
forth  the  word  of  life  ?' ' 

"  I  have  referred  the  brethren and to  that  chap- 
ter. Perhaps  you  will  read  to  them  what  I  have  above  said 
to  you  upon  it.     You  may  do  this  without   letting  them  hear 


ISIT).]  CORRESPONDENCE.  115 

the  remarks  which  I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  make  to  you 
on  your  own  spirit." 

To  the  senior  of  those  who  were  in  the  wrong  he 
writes  as  follows  : — 

"London,  October  18,  1815. 

"  It  grieves  us  to  the  heart  that  you  are  not  all  at  peace 
among  yourselves.  We  cannot  approve  of  the  manner  in 
which  you  speak  of  your  brethren.  On  whichever  side  the 
fault  may  lie  of  want  of  concord  and  forbearance  and  love, 
there  is  a  harshness  in  your  way  of  speaking  that  is  quite  con- 
trary to  the  '  meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ.'     See  Philip- 

pians,  chap.  ii.     Brother will  perhaps  read  to  you  what 

I  have  written  to  him  on  this  chapter. 

"  We  have  heard  various  reports,  which  make  us  fear  and 
tremble.  The  Committee  are  determined  to  know  the  true 
state  of  things ;  and  to  see,  as  far  as  they  can,  with  their  own 
eyes,  and  to  hear  with  their  own  ears.  If  evils  have  been 
committed,  in  the  strength  and  by  the  grace  of  God  they  must 
be  repented  of,  and  must  be  put  away.  A  Christian  Society, 
leagued  for  the  noble  purpose  of  promoting  the  kingdom  of  the 
Lord,  cannot  and  will  not  countenance  or  wink  at  any  thing 
dishonourable  to  the  Christian  character." 

The  following  reply  from  the  Missionary  to  whom 
this  letter  was  addressed,  will  please  the  reader : — • 

"  Your  letters  of  August  and  October  I  met  here  in  the 
Colony.  My  perusing  them,  and  the  subsequent  effect  they 
made  on  my  mind,  produced  much  thankfulness  for  the  kind 
admonitions  and  reproofs  you  gave  me,  in  consequence  of  the 
inconsiderate  and  harsh  expressions  in  my  letter  of  June  20. 
Do  not  think  I  say  this  in  a  hypocritical  way,  but  that  I 
speak  in  truth  and  sincerity.  What  I  feel,  after  having  done 
wrong  (though  perhaps  not  having  deviated  from  the  truth),  I 
may  not  be  able  to  express.  In  such  cases  then  I  cannot  rest 
till  I  lay  such  feelings  before  my  Heavenly  Father,  in  order 

I  2 


116  JELLORUM  HARRISON.  [Chai.  Vll. 

to  obtain  peace  and  forgiveness  from  Him  :  and  having  ob- 
tained these,  it  cannot  be  hard  for  me  to  ask  and  expect  par- 
don and  forgiveness  from  those  I  may  have  offended.  Let  then, 
I  pray  you,  this  fault  or  faults  be  buried  in  the  multitude  of 
God's  mercies,  and  in  the  heart  of  the  honourable  Committee, 
who,  I  trust,  are  merciful,  even  as  their  Father  is  merciful." 

An  interesting  young  African,  Jellorum  Harrison, 
after  passing  several  years  at  Karass,  in  Georgia,  had 
been  educated  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  for 
the  office  of  a  schoolmaster.  After  several  months' 
residence  in  England  for  this  purpose,  he  returned  to 
his  native  country  in  1814,  and  was  stationed  at  one  of 
the  Society's  settlements,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  posses- 
sions of  his  father,  who  was  an  African  Chief.  Mr. 
Pratt  seems  to  have  apprehended  that  the  unhappy 
occurrences  above  referred  to — though  of  brief  dura- 
tion and  soon  forgotten  by  the  brethren — might  have 
had  a  bad  effect  upon  the  mind  of  this  young  disciple. 
The  following  is  an  extract  from  an  admirable  letter 
of  caution  and  admonition  which  he  addressed  to 
him  : — 

"  London,  August  10,  1815. 
"  Suppose  that  many  things  have  been  wrong,  you,  Jello- 
rum, ought  to  know  by  this  time  that  the  bad  management  of 
good  things  does  not  make  them  evil.  If  God  bestow  His 
grace  upon  you,  and  render  you  humble  and  diligent,  you  will 
be  an  unspeakable  blessing  to  your  countrymen.  My  dear 
Jellorum,  you  kmm  our  sincerity ;  you  know  our  unfailing 
wishes  for  the  present  and  eternal  welfare  of  your  country- 
men; you  know  their  wretched  state  without  the  Gospel  of 
Christ;  and  you  have  much,  very  much,  to  answer  for,  if  you 
do  not  second  and  promote  to  the  utmost  of  your  power  all 
our  plans  and  efforts.      You  may  see  many  infirmities,  and  even 


1815.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  !  117 

much  evil,  in  the  persons  employed  by  us.  If  you  do,  tell  us 
so  with  a  sincere  and  charitable  mind.  But,  oh !  '  let  this 
mind  be  in  you  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus.'  Pray  to  become 
humble,  and  disinterested,  and  self-denying,  like  your  Master. 
Tell  every  one  of  your  family,  and  all  around  you,  that  '  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ'  alone  '  cleanseth  from  all  sin  ;'  '  that  no 
other  foundation  can  any  man  lay  than  that  which  is  laid, 
which  is  Christ  Jesus ;'  that  *  the  times  of  their  past  ignorance 
God  winked  at,  but  now  commandeth  all  men  everywhere  to 
repent;  because  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in  which  He  will 
judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that  Man  whom  He  hath 
ordained.' 

"  Read  St.  Paul's  Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus,  and  then 
bow  your  knees  to  your  Heavenly  Master,  and  fervently  beseech 
Him  to  make  you,  in  your  spirit  and  temper,  in  your  principles 
and  aims,  in  your  character  and  conduct,  a  kind,  and  consi- 
derate, and  faithful  guide  of  your  countrymen  to  Him  who 
died  for  them.  True  Religion  is  the  same,  and  unchange- 
able, even  if  all  whom  you  know  as  professing  it  were  hypo- 
crites. To  your  own  Master  you  stand  or  fall.  And  you 
must  one  day  account  for  all  the  light  you  have  received,  and 
all  the  affectionate  entreaties  which  I  and  others  may  have 
used  to  you,  and  all  the  opportunities  which  God  now  puts  into 
your  power. 

"  I  write  these  things  not  to  grieve  you ;  but  to  put  you  on 
your  guard.  I  know  well,  that  even  you,  who  have  seen  so 
much  of  the  truth  and  power  of  religion,  are  still  reluctant  to 
think  of  your  own  country  as  so  debased  and  degraded  as  it 
really  is.  But  if  a  fond  attachment  to  it,  as  your  country,  pre- 
vents you,  with  all  your  past  advantages,  from  seeing  its  de- 
plorable condition,  we  can  only  pray  to  God  to  open  your  eyes. 

"  I  have,  notwithstanding  these  my  views  and  fears,  great 
hopes,  dear  Jellorum,  that  God  will  give  you  the  grace  of  His 
Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may  labour  without  ceasing  to  make 
known  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  your  countrymen." 


lis  COllRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  VII. 

The  following  letter  affords  another  instance  of  the 
faithful  and  affectionate  interest  with  which  he 
watched  over  the  conduct  of  those  employed  by  the 
Society  in  its  foreign  labours.  It  was  written  to 
a  young  African,  whose  conduct  was  not  satisfactory 
after  he  became  employed  as  a  schoolmaster,  al- 
though he  had  often  made  great  promises  and  high 
professions : — 

"■March  8,  1810. 
"  DEAR  

"  I  was  happy  to  receive  your  letter,  because  you  therein 
profess  yourself  anxious  to  benefit  your  countrymen.  You 
made  many  professions  of  the  same  kind,  indeed,  when  you 
were  in  England ;  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  you  have  much  dis- 
appointed our  expectations.  As  to  any  false  accounts  which 
you  say  have  been  sent  to  us  of  your  conduct,  the  thing  speaks 
for  itself.  What  have  you  done  to  bring  your  poor  country- 
men to  know  the  Saviour  ?  How  far  has  your  temper  shewn 
them  what  great  things  Divine  grace  has  done  for  true  Chris- 
tians ? 

"  I  might  go  on  to  ask  many  questions  of  this  nature ;  but  I 
forbear.  You  appeal  to  the  Searcher  of  hearts  and  to  the 
awful  tribunal  of  the  Last  Day.  Yes  ;  keep  these  ever  in  your 
eye,  and  not  merely  on  your  tongue,  and  then  the  intelligence 

concerning  you    which    we   shall  receive  will    be,  that 

is  humble,  contrite,  meek,  and  lowly  of  heart ;  that  he 

is  chaste,  and  temperate,  and  diligent,  and  zealous;  that  he 
studies  the  Scriptures  and  prays  ;  that  his  whole  trust  is  in  the 
Saviour,  and  that  his  whole  life  is  devoted  to  Him. 

"  May  it  please  our  Lord  to  make  you  such  a  Christian  as  I 
have  described ! 

"  I  am,  your  affectionate  friend, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 


1814.]  FIRST  DAWN  OF  SUCCESS.  Uy 

It  was  about  this  time,  after  such  a  long  series  of 
disappointments  and  painful  occurrences,  that  the 
first  dawn  appeared  of  that  success  for  which  the 
Society  had  so  long  prayed  and  waited.  It  pleased 
God  so  to  overrule  events,  that  the  very  curse  of 
West  Africa,  and  the  grand  hindrance  to  all  Mis- 
sionary efforts,  was  indirectly  made  a  chief  instru- 
ment in  bringing  about  this  happy  change.  On  the 
21st  of  November,  1814,  Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  Mr. 
Butscher : — 

"  It  appears  to  me  that  the  Providence  of  God  is  preparing 
for  you  a  situation  in  which  you  may  be  more  useful  than  in 
that  of  Colonial  Chaplain. 

"  It  has  been  impressed  on  my  mind  of  late  that  we  ought  to 
make  exertions  within  the  colony.  Governor  Maxwell  tells  us 
that  there  are  not  less  than  10,000  people  under  British  autho- 
rity there.  Most  of  these  are  at  present  heathens.  The 
French  will  now  begin  to  smuggle,  as  well  as  the  English. 
This  will  increase  the  number  of  re-captured  adults  and  chil- 
dren. The  colony  must  be  their  place  of  refuge,  and  it  might 
be  their  place  of  Christian  instruction.  And  what  body  of  per- 
sons so  fit  to  undertake  this  labour  of  love  as  our  Society? 

"  I  have  therefore  suggested  to  the  Committee,  and  the  pro- 
posal has  been  approved  by  them,  and  heartily  agreed  to  by 
Governor  Maxwell,  that  we  should  form  an  Establishment  near 
Freetown,  on  a  considerable  scale.  Some  hundred  acres  of 
land  in  a  healthy  and  fertile  part  of  the  higher  grounds  should 
be  granted  to  the  Society." 

The  Abolition  of  the  French  Slave  Trade,  as  well 
as  of  the  English,  led  to  the  capture  of  a  vast 
number  of  smuggling  slave  ships,  from  which  mul- 
titudes .of  wretched  captives  were  liberated,  and  al- 


120  LIBERATED  SLAVES.  [Ciur.  VII. 

lowed  once  more  to  breathe  their  native  air  in  Sierra 
Leone,  whitlier  these  ships  were  always  taken.  A 
wide  field  of  usefulness  was  therefore  now  at  length 
opening  to  the  efforts  of  the  Missionaries.  Native 
Africans  from  as  many  as  thirty  different  nations  were 
congregated  together  within  the  range  of  the  colony ; 
and  the  time  of  God's  mercy  seemed  to  be  drawing 
near.  It  might  be  said,  by  an  accommodation  of  the 
words  of  the  Psalmist,  when  the  Almighty  had  suffered 
the  trade  to  exist,  and  at  length  overruled  it  for  good, 
The  cruelty  of  man  shall  praise  Thee,  and  the  remainder 
of  it  wilt  TIiou  restrain. 

The  Church  Missionary  Society  had  long  been  de- 
sirous of  finding  a  fit  person  who  would  be  willing  to 
take  a  voyage  to  Africa — to  inspect  the  Mission,  and 
gather  such  information  as  should  enable  the  Society 
to  put  their  affairs  on  a  better  footing,  and  enlarge 
their  efforts  with  fresh  zeal.  Such  a  person  was  found 
in  1815,  and  Mr.  Pratt  announces  the  event  to  the 
brethren  in  Africa : — 

"  An  excellent  and  able  friend  of  the  Society,  Mr.  Bicker- 
steth,  of  Norwich,  is  about  to  be  ordained.  He  will  then  sail 
for  Sierra  Leone  as  the  Society's  Visitor." 

On  the  29th  of  December  he  accompanied  his 
friend  —  now  made  his  co-adjutor,  as  Assistant-Se- 
cretary—  to  Deal,  where  he  was  to  embark  on  his 
important  errand.  Rut,  as  the  wind  became  unfa- 
vourable for  sailing,  they  continued  together  for  four 
days,  conferring  on  the  affairs  of  the  Mission  about  to 
be  visited. 


1816.]  MR.  BICKERSTETHS  VISIT.  121 

Mr.  Bickersteth  finally  left  the  shores  of  England 
on  the  24th  of  January,  1816,  and  after  sjjending  three 
months  in  Africa  reached  home  on  the  18th  of  August. 
The  object  of  his  visit  was  fully  accomplished.  On 
the  13th  of  September  a  Deputation  of  the  Society 
waited  on  Government  to  propose  various  arrange- 
ments, suggested  by  the  information  which  Mr.  Bick- 
ersteth had  brought  home,  and  by  the  plans  and  re- 
presentations of  the  Governor  of  Sierra  Leone.  Among 
these,  it  was  proposed  to  divide  the  Colony  into  Pa- 
rishes, and  to  increase  the  number  of  English  Clergy- 
men and  schoolmasters,  for  the  effectual  care  and  in- 
struction of  the  re-captured  Negroes.  The  Govern- 
ment fully  concurred  in  these  plans.  The  division 
speedily  took  place ;  and  patronage  was  extended  to 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  by  a  share  of  the  sa- 
laries of  the  Missionaries  being  defrayed  from  the 
public  treasury. 

But  during  this  encouraging  aspect  of  things,  the 
hand  of  death  was  not  arrested.  Early  in  1816,  be- 
fore Mr.  Bickersteth's  return,  intelligence  was  received 
of  the  removal  by  death  of  six  individuals  connected 
with  the  Mission. 

To  the  Rev.  G.  R.  Nylander  Mr.  Pratt  writes : — 

March  G,  1816. 
"  Letters  of  a  later  date  than  yours  apprise  us  of  the  death  of 
brother  Sperrhacken  and  his  child,  and  the  illness  of  his  widow, 
and  the  other  awful  inroads  which  death  has  lately  made  upon 
your  number.  What  can  we  say  to  these  affecting  dispensa- 
tions ?  '  I  was  dumb,  because  it  was  Thy  doing :  but  take 
away  from  us  the  stroke  of  Thy  heavy  hand.'  " 


122  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  VII. 

To  the  Rev.  Melcbior  Renner,  the  senior  Missio- 
nary, he  says : — 

"  By  the  Echo,  which  conveys  this,  four  schoohiiastcrs  with 
their  wives  sail  for  your  unheahhy  shores  to  assist  in  supplying 
the  places  of  the  dead — 'cast  down,'  indeed,  at  the  melancholy 
tidings,  '  hut  not  in  despair.'  " 

And  he  refers  to  the  same  subject  in  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Butscher,  in  which  he  also  mentions  the  four  school- 
masters by  name : — 

"  The  sad  intelligence  which  your  last  letters  communicate 
almost  brings  us  to  a  stand.  We  now  send  forth,  however,  in 
humble  reliance  on  Divine  mercy  and  power,  Messrs.  Horton, 
Jost,  Diiring,  and  Johnson,  with  their  wives.  They  felt  some 
fear  on  the  receipt  of  the  melancholy  tidings  of  the  death  of 
their  predecessors ;  but  they  set  forward  in  faith,  committing 
themselves  to  the  Lord." 

It  was  this  "  humble  reliance  on  Divine  mercy 
and  power"  which  could  alone  sustain  Mr.  Pratt 
and  his  friends  under  these  heavy  visitations.  If  any 
one  feeling  is  impressed  upon  the  mind  more  than 
another,  in  reading  through  his  numerous  letters 
during  the  first  twelve  years  of  the  African  Mission, 
it  is  admiration  at  the  strong  faith  and  untiring  per- 
severance, which  carried  him  through  so  many  disap- 
pointed hopes ;  and  which  no  doubt  tended  largely 
to  sustain  tlie  faith  and  courage  of  the  labourers 
abroad  and  friends  at  home  Fully  to  appreciate  the 
trial,  it  must  be  remembered  that  this  was  the  first  and, 
as  yet,  the  only  Mission  in  which  the  Society  had  made 
the  experiment  of  sending  Missionaries  to  convert  the 


181G.]  MURE  TRIALS.  I93 

heathen.  They  had  no  instances  of  eminent  success 
attending  their  efforts,  to  encourage  them  to  perse- 
vere ;  and  without  a  firm  belief  in  the  simple  Word 
of  God,  and  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  duty  of 
making  every  possible  sacrifice  to  communicate  the 
Gospel  of  Salvation  to  a  lost  world,  they  must  have 
sunk  under  their  overwhelming  difficulties. 

In  addition  to  the  painful  inroads  which  death  was 
making  upon  the  labourers,  other  troubles  pressed 
upon  the  Mission.  The  indomitable  perseverance  of 
the  Slave  dealers,  who  carried  on  their  traffic  by 
smuggling  in  spite  of  the  trade  having  been  abolished, 
compelled  the  Society  to  abandon,  first,  the  settlement 
of  Bashia  in  18 10,  and  then  that  at  CanofFee  in 
1817-18.  All  the  toil  and  patience  of  the  past  twelve 
years  and  more  seemed  now  to  be  utterly  lost.  This 
was  enough  to  try  the  stoutest  heart.  But  Mr. 
Pratt's  faith  did  not  waver.  After  announcing  these 
new  and  aggravated  causes  of  discouragement,  he 
adds — "  But   God's  time  for  mercy   on  Africa  will 

STILL  COME  ! " 

We  shall  see  hereafter  that  this  assured  hope 
was  fulfilled ;  and  in  the  manner  and  direction  in 
which  he  seemed  now  to  be  looking ;  if  we  may 
judge  from  his  letter  of  1814  to  Mr.  Butscher,  already 
quoted. 

We  should  mention,  however,  that  distressing  and 
discouraging  as  these  events  were,  the  labours  of  the 
Missionaries  had  not  been  wholly  without  fruit,  even 
in  those  parts  which  they  were  now  compelled  to 
abandon.       They    carried   witli    tliem    to    the    colony 


124  MR.  JOHNSON.  [Chai.VII. 

several  Snsoo  youths,  whom  they  had  educated  in  their 
school.  Some  of  these  turned  out  well,  especially 
Simeon  Wilhelm,  named  after  the  Missionary  who  had 
been  his  instructor  in  the  school,  first  at  Bashia  and 
then  at  CanolTee.  This  youth  accompanied  Mr.  Bick- 
ersteth  to  England  ;  and  died  in  1817  at  the  Church 
Missionary  House,  Salisbury  Square — a  bright  orna- 
ment to  the  Gospel,  and  a  most  blessed  first-fruits  of 
the  harvest  which  was  to  follow. 

It  was  primarily  through  the  exertions  of  one  of 
the  four  schoolmasters  just  mentioned,  Mr.  Johnson, 
that  the  happy  work,  which  we  shall  have  to  narrate 
in  a  future  chapter,  commenced  in  the  colony.  He 
appears  soon,  by  his  industry  and  Christian  zeal,  to 
have  attracted  the  notice  of  the  Governor:  for  Mr. 
Pratt  writes,  July  II,  1817,  to  his  friend  the  Rev. 
William  Garnon,  who  went  to  Africa  in  1816  as  Go- 
vernment Chaplain  to  the  colony  : — 

"  The  Governor  has  highly  commended  Johnson  to  Earl 
Badiurst  [then  Secretary  for  the  Colonies],  and  has  been  re- 
questing that  he  may  be  appointed  a  Chaplain." 

Then  afterwards : — 

"  We  trust  that  all  your  feelings  and  hopes  respecting  Mr. 
Johnson  will  be  realized.  The  good  work  which  is  going  on 
at  Regent's  Town  [the  parish  in  which  he  laboured]  is  an 
abundant  reward  to  us  for  all  our  money  and  anxiety." 

To  Mrs.  Garnon  Mr.  Pratt  writes  by  the  same  op- 
portunity, now  especially  anxious  to  avail  himself  of 
every  means  of  gaining  accurate  information  regard- 
ing the  progress  of  the  good  work  : — 


1817]  CORRESPONDENCE.  123 

"  London,  July  1 1 ,  1817. 

"  MY   DEAR  FRIEND 

"  I  hope  you  will  continue  the  correspondence  which  you 
have  kindly  begun :  particularly  let  me  beg  of  you  to  watch  the 
various  incidents  which  may  take  place  in  the  schools  or 
among  the  Negroes,  that  you  think  will  be  interesting  to  our 
numerous  friends.  You  know  how  much  the  heart  is  affected 
by  the  relation  of  the  working  of  Divine  grace  in  others  ;  and, 
blessed  be  God !  we  hear  that  now  from  Africa  for  which  we 
have  long  looked  and  prayed.  We  must  expect  checks  and 
disappointments,  and  we  have  now  quite  enough  of  them  to 
call  for  all  our  faith  and  patience ;  but  let  us  look  to  our 
blessed  Lord,  and  lean  on  His  Almighty  arm.  We  rejoice 
much  to  hear  of  yovn*  health  and  Mr.  Garnon's.  The  next 
letter  will  perhaps  apprise  us  that  you  have  not  escaped  the 
effects  of  the  climate ;  and  from  what  I  hear  I  should  be  dis- 
posed to  wish,  if  it  were  right  to  wish  on  the  subject,  that  you 
might  have  an  early  seasoning,  as  we  are  told  that  it  is  severe 
in  proportion  to  its  being  deferred.  You  are,  however,  in  the 
hands  of  the  Lord ;  and  He  will  do  all  things  in  mercy  and 
love. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  spend  as  much  time  as  you  can 
among  our  mountaineers.  We  hope  to  send  out  a  second 
Chaplain,  which  will  enable  Mr.  Garnon  to  pass  more  time 
with  you  there. 

"  Pray  write  to  me  as  often  and  circumstantially  as  you  can ; 
and  remember  that  facts  and  circumstances  communicated  to 
me,  if  likely  to  edify  others,  and  increase  their  love  and  zeal, 
will  soon  find  their  way  into  print,  and  be  circulated  by  thou- 
sands ;  while  if  you  send  them  hither  and  thither  to  your 
friends,  they  may  not  be  heard  of  beyond  their  own  circle  :  and 
if  to  such  circumstantial  communications  from  you  I  should 
return  but  brief  replies,  attribute  this  entirely  to  its  true  cause, 
the  entire  occupation  of  my  mind  and  time  in  the  work  of  the 
Society. 


126  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  VII. 

"  But  whether  my  letter  to  you  be  short  or  long,  I  have  you 

in  my  heart.     My  earnest  prayers,  my  dear  friend,  are  put  up 

for  you  to   the  God  of  our  fathers,  that  being  strengthened 

with  might  by  His   Spirit  in   the   inner  man,  both  you  and 

your  dear  husband  may  find  '  Christ  dwelling  in  your  hearts 

by  faith.' 

"  I  am  ever,  dear  Mary, 

"  Your  affectionate  friend, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

Mrs.  Garnon's  family  had  resided  at  Birmingham, 
and  were  well  known  to  Mr.  Pratt,  as  is  implied  in 
his  expression  "  the  God  of  our  fathers." 

Within  a  year  and  a  few  days  after  this  was  written 
Mr.  Garnon  and  three  persons  connected  with  the 
Mission  were  in  one  week  cut  down  by  death,  in  the 
midst  of  their  valuable  labours. 

Together  with  the  above  letters  Mr.  Pratt  sent  the 
following  to  the  individual,  whom  God  was  beginning 
so  greatly  to  prosper  in  His  work  : — 

"Church  Missionary  House,  JuIyW,  1817 
"  DEAR  JOHNSON  — 

"  I  am  happy  to  address  you  as  a  brother  engaged  in  the 
o-reat  work  of  our  blessed  Master,  and  to  see  that  God  is  with 
you  of  a  truth. 

"  We  particularly  wish  you  to  give  us  details  of  all  striking 
conversations  between  yourself  and  the  poor  Negroes,  who  are 
under  the  evident  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Write  them 
down  as  soon  after  they  take  place  as  possible,  w^ord  for 
word.  W^e  shall  choose  out  such  parts  as  we  think  useful  : 
and  you  know,  as  face  answers   to  face,  so  does  the  heart 

of  man. 

"  Our  Heavenly  Master  has  honoured  you,  dear  .Johnson,  in 
making  you   an   instrument  of  conveying  the   greatest  of  all 


1817.]  COKRESrONDENCE.  127 

blessings  to  perishing  souls.  Now  be  prepared  for  discourage- 
ments and  temptations ;  but  lean  on  the  wisdom  and  strength 
of  your  Lord.  I  trust  and  pray  that  both  you  and  your  wife 
will  be  kept  near  to  Christ  in  prayer,  and  faith,  and  holy  love, 
and  obedience.  You  may  be  sure  that  Satan  will  '  sift  you  as 
wheat,'  if  permitted;  but  yoin-  Great  Intercessor  will  plead  for 
you  and  sustain  you. 

"  Mr.  Bickersteth  is  now  absent,  travelling  in  the  north  of 
England,  to  beg  for  our  Society.  He  rejoices  greatly  in  your 
joy;  and  remembers  you  affectionately  in  prayer.  Indeed,  in 
our  Saturday-Evening  Prayer  Meetings,  held  here  regularly  at 
seven  o'clock,  we  bring  poor  Africa  always  before  the  Throne 
of  Grace,  and  with  more  hope  and  comfort  than  we  have  done 
before.  It  gave  us  much  pleasure  to  find  how  you  were  com- 
forted in  the  thought  of  our  prayers. 

"  By  your  last,  of  March  11,  I  learn  that  you  had  I'eceived 
mine  of  December  27,  1816,  and  felt  some  apprehension  under 
a  sense  of  your  own  inability  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  We 
learn,  by  a  letter  from  Mr.  Garnon,  of  April  1,  that  you  were 
solemnly  dedicated  to  that  work  on  the  preceding  day.  Who, 
indeed,  is  sufficient,  dear  brother,  for  these  things  ?  But  all 
our  sufficiency  is  of  God.  May  you  find  this  daily  and  hourly 
fulfilled  in  yourself! 

"  Remember  us  all  affectionately  to  your  wives,  and  to  all 
the  Christian  Negroes.  Tell  them  from  us  to  cleave  to  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  to  pray  and  strive  to  be  like  Him  ;  and  tell 
them,  that  to  hear  of  their  being  Christ's  servants  comforts  our 
hearts.  We  think  all  the  money  we  have  spent,  and  all  the 
trouble  we  have  felt,  rewarded  over  and  over  again  in  winning 
one  soul  to  Jesus. 

"  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God, 
and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  with  you  all. 
"  I  am,  dear  Johnson, 

"  Ever  affectionately  yours, 

"  JosiAii  Pratt." 


128  PROPOSAL  FOR  A  [Chai.VII. 

Before  quitting  the  Africa  Mission  it  should  be 
mentioned,  that  a  scheme  was  once  entertained  by 
the  Society  of  purchasing  a  ship,  to  enable  them  to 
carry  on  a  more  regular  intercourse  with  their  Mis- 
sion than  the  vessels  to  that  coast  had  hitherto  per- 
mitted. Dr.  Buchanan  called  their  attention  to  the 
subject  in  his  Anniversary  Sermon  in  1810 ;  but  it  does 
not  seem  to  have  been  seriously  entertained  till  1815, 
when  the  proposal  appears  to  have  been  made  afresh 
during  the  Second  Anniversary  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Association  at  Bristol,  and  the  matter  was  taken 
up  with  much  spirit.  It  was  proposed  by  the  Clergy 
of  Bristol  that  the  projected  ship  should  be  named 
after  Mr.  Pratt.  This  circumstance  is  here  mentioned 
for  the  sake  of  introducing  the  following  extract  from 
his  reply  to  the  gentleman  who  wrote  to  him  on  the 
subject,  as  it  well  illustrates  a  prominent  feature  in 
his  character : — 

"  Church  Missionary  House,  Api-il  22, 1816. 
"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND  — 

"  I  am  just  returned  from  a  most  successful  Missionary  tour : 
Bristol  (as  you  know),  800/. ;  Manchester,  700/. ;  Stafford- 
shire, 250/. ;  Derbyshire,  not  yet  known. 

"  I  was  much  surprised  by  yours  of  the  17th  inst.,  apprizing 
me  of  what  has  already  been  done  in  your  neighbourhood 
towards  furnishing  a  ship  for  the  use  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  to  be  called  after  my  name.  I  feel  most 
deeply  your  love.  Do  with  my  name  what  you  will  when 
I  rest  in  the  bosom  of  my  Lord ;  but  I  can  never  consent  to 
have  it  used,  under  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  in  the 
manner  which  you  propose,  while  I  live  and  hold  the  office 
which  I  do." 


1815.]  MISSIONARY  SHIP.  129 

Mr.  Pratt  proposed  that  the  vessel  should  be  called 
the  "William  Wilberforce :"  but  although  the  sub- 
scriptions were  large  the  first  year,  they  afterwards 
declined,  the  required  sum,  6000/.,  was  never  realized, 
and  the  scheme  was  relinquished,  and  has  never  since 
been  resumed.  The  chief  considerations  alleged  by 
Dr.  Buchanan  in  favour  of  the  scheme — viz.  neces- 
sity of  conveyance  for  the  Missionaries,  of  regular 
supplies,  and  of  frequent  communication  with  home 
— have  been  met  by  the  rapid  extension  of  our  colo- 
nies and  commerce  to  the  remotest  parts  of  the 
globe :  the  ordinary  means  of  transit  and  commu- 
nication with  the  Missions  have  become  more  abun- 
dant and  economical,  than  those  which  could  be  fur- 
nished by  ships  chartered  for  the  express  purpose. 
The  arrival  of  a  messenger  this  very  year  in  only 
ninety  days  from  our  New-Zealand  Mission  at  the 
Antipodes,  is  a  striking  proof  with  what  ease  the  ser- 
vants of  the  Lord  can  now  "  run  to  and  fro  in  the 
earth"  on  their  blessed  errand.  Nevertheless,  the 
proposal  above  referred  to  proves  the  high  estimation 
in  which  Mr.  Pratt  and  his  services  were  held  ;  and 
though  he  modestly  declined  it,  yet  it  doubtless  ani- 
mated him  to  prosecute  his  labours  with  fresh  zeal,  to 
find  that  they  were  so  kindly  appreciated  by  his 
brethren. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1809—1817. 

THE  RKV.  S.  MARSHEN  VISITS  ENGLAND SUGGESTS    A    MISSION    TO  NEW  ZEA- 
LAND— RETURNS  WITH    SOaiE  SETTLERS —DUATERRA — A  SCHOOLMASTER 

AND  HIS  WIFE  SENT  OUT ALL  EFFORTS  FOR  A  LONG  TIME  UNAVAILING  — 

AT  LENGTH  MR.  MARSDEN  VISITS  NEW  ZEALAND,  AND  THE  FIRST  CHURCH 

MISSIONARY  SETTLEMENT  IS  PLANTED    THERE — DEATH  OF  DUATERRA 

MOVVHEE  VISITS  ENGLAND — DEATH  OF  MOWHEE. 

In  the  year  1808  the  Rev.  Samuel  Marsden,  Chaplain 
of  Port  Jackson,  during  a  visit  to  England,  had  called 
the  attention  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  to  the 
Islands  of  New  Zealand,  as  affording  a  promising 
sphere  for  their  exertions.  His  proposal  was  that 
they  should  commence  by  establishing  a  settlement  on 
one  of  the  islands,  with  a  view  of  promoting  the  arts 
of  life  and  ultimately  the  spiritual  good  of  the  natives, 
who  were  described  as  "  men  of  naturally  acute  and 
superior  minds."  His  Majesty's  Minister  for  the  Colo- 
nies gave  the  most  friendly  assurances  of  good  will  to 
the  Society's  design,  and  sent  instructions  to  the  Go- 
vernor of  New  South  Wales  to  afford  the  settlement, 
when  formed,  his  countenance  and  support. 

In  August,  180i),  Mr.  Marsden  left  England  with  two 
young  men,  one  of  them  married,  who  went  out  as 
settlers  under  the  protection  of  the  Society.  The  fol- 
lowing letter  will  shew  the  primitive  manner,  in  which 
this  Father  of  the  New-Zealand  Mission  entered  upon 
his  great  enterprise  : — 


1809.]  LETTER  FROM  MR.  MARSDEN.  131 

"  Rev.  S.  Marsden  to  Rev.  J.  Pratt. 

"  C0WE8  Roads,  Aug.  28, 1809. 
"  Dear  Sir — 

"  We  are  now  waiting  for  the  wind  to  change  in  Cowes 
Roads :  as  soon  as  it  comes  to  the  east  we  sail.  William  Hall, 
his  wife,  and  John  King  [the  two  settlers],  are  on  board,  and 
well.  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  will  be  pretty  comfortable. 
John  King  I  take  entirely  to  myself;  he  will  live  in  the  same 
manner  as  my  family.  William  Hall,  as  he  has  a  wife,  will 
require  a  little  more  attention.  I  have  laid  in  for  him  two 
sheep  and  one  dozen  fowls  :  in  case  they  should  want,  now 
and  then,  a  little  fresh  meat,  when  we  kill  a  sheep  we  shall 
give  them  a  part. 

"  I  was  very  happy  to  find,  when  I  went  on  board,  a  New 
Zealander,  a  very  fine  young  man,  who  came  lately  to  England, 
and  is  now  going  back  again  to  his  own  country.  I  hope,  with 
a  little  assistance,  King  and  Hall  will  be  able  during  our 
voyage  to  get  some  knowledge  of  the  New-Zealand  language. 
As  soon  as  we  are  a  little  more  settled  and  prepared  for  sea,  I 
shall  endeavour  to  assist  them,  with  the  New  Zealander,  to 
draw  up  a  short  vocabulary.  The  common  terms,  I  think,  of 
the  language  they  may  acquire ;  and  by  daily  conversing  with 
him,  may  prepare  their  minds  for  more  easily  understanding 
the  natives  when  they  arrive. 

♦  «»*««♦ 

"  Mrs.  Hall  is  a  very  valuable  woman.  I  am  very  much 
pleased  with  her  indeed ;  and  shall  endeavour  to  make  them 
comfortable.  After  all  our  nonsense  with  the  captain,  we  have 
got  all  our  things  on  board— our  live  stock,  hay,  corn,  &c. — and 
are  all  very  good  friends. 

"  I  preached  yesterday  for  the  first  time.  We  have  more  than 
400  on  board,  have  had  two  children  born  since  we  embarked, 
and  shall  have  many  more.  I  will  write  again  from  the  first 
place  we  touch  at.     Excuse  great  haste,  as  I  write  these  few 

k2 


132  DUATERRA.  [Chap.  VIll. 

lines  in  the  midst  of  bustle.     With   my  kind  respects  to  Mrs. 

Pratt, 

'*  I  remain,  Dear  Sir, 

"Yours  sincerely, 

"  Samuel  I^arsden." 

The  settlers,  on  their  arrival  at  Port  Jackson,  re- 
mained there  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Marsden,  watch- 
ing a  favourable  opportunity  for  entering  upon  their 
work.  The  name  of  the  young  chief  mentioned  in 
Mr.  Marsden's  letter  was  Duaterra:  he  was  related 
to  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  Northern  Island  of  New 
Zealand,  and  was  himself  heir  to  a  considerable  terri- 
tory. The  return  of  this  young  man  in  the  same  vessel 
in  which  Mr.  Marsden  and  his  companions  sailed, 
was  looked  upon  as  a  token  for  good,  and  indeed 
proved  to  be  so.  He  became  much  attached  to  the 
two  young  men  sent  out  by  the  Society  ;  and  remained 
at  Port  Jackson  under  Mr.  Marsden's  instructions 
more  than  three  years,  preparing  himself  upon  his 
return  to  promote  the  good  of  his  countrymen.  Mr. 
Marsden  writes  to  Mr.  Pratt : — 

"  Duaterra  is  a  very  uncommon  character.  His  moral  de- 
portment is  blameless.  His  mind  is  wholly  bent  on  establish- 
ing a  Sabbatli  Day  at  New  Zealand,  and  on  introducing  the 
knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Being.  While  he  lived  with  mc  he 
acquired  all  the  knowledge  he  possibly  could,  with  a  view  of 
imparting  it  to  his  people :  he  understands  many  of  the  opera- 
tions of  agriculture." 

In  1813  Duaterra  returned  to  New  Zealand ;  and 
was  received  back  with  great  marks  of  esteem,  and 
appointed  King  at  the  Bay  of  Islands,  which   after- 


1814.]  NEW-ZEALAND  MISSION.  133 

wards  became  the  chief  scene  of  the  Society's  opera- 
tions. And  in  the  same  year,  the  Society  sent  out  to 
Port  Jackson  a  Schoohiiaster  (Mr.  Kendall)  and  his 
wife,  who,  in  1814,  with  one  of  the  settlers,  paid  a  visit 
to  the  Northern  Island  in  a  vessel  which  Mr.  Marsden 
had  purchased  for  the  purpose.  They  returned  with 
various  chiefs  and  other  natives,  who  were  induced  to 
come  to  Port  Jackson  to  promote  the  Society's  objects 
by  acquiring  useful  knowledge.  Mr.  Pratt  writes,  in 
reply  to  a  letter  he  received  from  Mr.  Kendall : — 

"  Your  account  of  New  Zealand  excites  ardent  expectation 
and  hope  in  my  mind  that  God  will  condescend  to  employ  us 
and  you  as  instruments  of  conveying  eternal  blessings  to  that 
noble  race.  Go  on,  my  dear  friend,  in  the  strengtli  of  the 
Lord,  possessing  your  soul  in  patience,  and  quiedy  labouring 
till  your  evening  of  rest  shall  come.  There  is  no  greater 
honour  than  in  being  employed  in  increasing  Christ's  kingdom 
among  men,  and  especially  among  the  Gentiles. 

"  You  feel  the  want  of  a  regular  authority  as  a  Clergyman ; 
but  let  not  this  trouble  you:  you  may  do  every  thing  in  a 
heathen  land,  under  the  character  of  a  Catechist,  except  admi- 
nistering the  Sacraments ;  and  the  time  may  come,  at  no  great 
distance,  when  we  may  send  out  some  Lutheran  Clergymen  to 
your  aid,  who  may  admit  you,  according  to  the  authority  which 
their  Church  vests  in  tliem,  to  Holy  Orders,  if  that  should  be 
found  necessary.  But  my  counsel  is  to  go  on  contentedly, 
doing  the  work  in  which  you  can  consistently  engage." 

He  writes  also  to  Mr.  Marsden,  proposing  that  Mr. 
Kendall's  visit  to  New  Zealand  should  be  followed  up 
by  his  returning  with  others,  that  they  might  endea- 
vour to  gain  a  footing  in  the  country. 


13-1  NEW-ZEALAND  MISSION.  [Chap.  VIII. 

'' August  lii^Un-i. 

"  Send  over  thither  some  promising  young  men,  if  you  can 
find  them.  Let  them  break  up  the  ground  as  settlers,  and  act 
as  Schoolmasters  and  Catechists.  Only  let  a  promising  be- 
ginning be  made,  and  we  will  send  you  some  Clergymen  from 
home  to  pass  their  days  among  that  interesting  people.  If  you 
can  form  an  Auxiliary  Society,  which  will  give  us  a  good  hope 
that  our  designs  will  be  perpetuated  when  your  own  labours 
or  those  of  your  worthy  colleagues  are  over,  we  shall  be  encou- 
raged to  commit  any  reasonable  funds  to  your  disposal :  for 
the  members  of  the  Church  answer  so  readily  to  our  call,  and 
manifest  such  willingness  to  take  their  full  share  in  the  noble 
efforts  of  these  days  to  bless  the  heathen  with  the  Gospel,  that, 
let  us  but  shew  them  a  fair  opening  for  exertion,  and  they  will 
support  all  our  efforts.  »  ♦  *  Nor  have  I  any  hesitation, 
my  dear  Sir,  in  saying,  from  the  spirit  and  zeal  which  I  find 
wherever  I  travel  in  the  cause  of  the  Society,  that  the  members 
of  the  Church  will  support  us  in  expending  as  man^  thousands 
per  annum,  in  prudent  attempts  to  civilize  and  evangelize  the 
New  Zealanders,  in  proportion  as  God  opens  before  us  pro- 
mising means  and  opportunities,  as  we  have  now  authorized 
you  to  appropriate  hundreds. 

"  Your  heart  is  much  set  on  New  Zealand,  and  so,  I  confess, 
is  mine.  Your  representations  have  turned  my  mind  to  this 
subject;  and  it  appears  to  me  that  our  Gracious  Master  having 
given  a  considerable  degree  of  strength  to  the  capacities  of  the 
Church  in  your  quarter,  to  support  our  designs  towards  New 
Zealand,  we  are  specially  called  on  to  cultivate  that  promising 
field." 

The  Society  was  very  greatly  indebted  to  Mr. 
Marsden,  for  the  deep  interest  and  the  unremitting 
exertions  which  he  made,  in  attempting  to  commence 
a  Mission  in  such  a  distant  and  savage  region.  It 
was  not  without  cause  that  he  was  styled  '  The  Father 


1815.]  NEW-ZEALAND  MISSION.  i;35 

of  the  New-Zealand  Mission.'  "Your  efforts,"  Mr. 
Pratt  writes  to  him,  "  for  the  good  of  the  New  Zea- 
landers  and  the  South-Sea  Islanders,  will  call  down 
blessings  on  your  memory  from  generations  yet  un- 
born." 

The  exertions  were  for  a  long  time  as  unavailing 
as  they  were  persevering.  But  the  intercourse  Mr. 
Marsden  had  with  the  chiefs  whom  Mr.  Kendall 
brought  over  with  him  to  Port  Jackson,  seemed  to  be 
opening  a  way  to  this  hitherto  inaccessible  country. 
Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  him  again  : — 

''August  12,1815. 
"  Your  reports  of  the  chiefs  have  dehghted  us  all.     You  will 
see,  in  the  numbers  of  the  'Missionary  Register'  now  sent, 
that  we  think  your  accounts  likely  to  increase  the  zeal  and 
ardour  of  our  members." 

But  he  brings  forward  his  West- Africa  experience 
to  moderate  eager  expectations,  and  to  shew  where 
they  must  look  for  help  : — 

"  We  would  not  be  too  sanguine.  Our  delays  and  discou- 
ragements in  Africa  teach  us  to  sow  in  patience  and  hope,  and 
not  seldom  in  tears.  Some  difficulties,  indeed,  of  that  Mission 
are  very  peculiar,  and  such  as  we  have  no  reason  to  expect  in 
New  Zealand  ;  yet  we  would  never  forget  the  general  lessons 
of  quiet  and  submissive  acquiescence  in  the  will  of  God  which 
tho§e  difficulties  ought  to  teach  us." 

Five  years  were,  in  fact,  spent  in  waiting  for  a 
favourable  opportunity.  The  vices  of  our  own  coun- 
trymen had  unhappily  instigated  the  natives  against 
us.  At  length  the  way  was  opened  through  the  in- 
fluence of  Duaterra ;  and  Mr.  Marsden  sailed  with  the 


13(3  MOWHEE.  [Chap.  Vlll. 

chiefs  and  the  three  Englishmen  and  their  families, 
and  planted  the  first  settlement  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society,  on  the  24th  of  February,  1815,  at  Rang- 
hee  Hoc  in  the  Bay  of  Islands. 

In  the  meantime  intelligence  reached  England  of 
the  death  of  the  promising  young  man  who  had  been 
so  friendly  and  serviceable.  He  died,  alas  !  before  it 
was  clear  that  he  had  received  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
in  his  heart.     To  the  same  friend  Mr.  Pratt  writes : — 

"  Many  things  arise  to  damp  our  spirits  ;  but  we  must  pray 
for  faith  and  patience.  The  heathen  of  New  Zealand  shall 
one  day  be  brought  to  know  the  Lord :  and  future  Duaterras 
shall  die,  not  as  that  poor  fellow  did,  in  clouds  and  darkness, 
but  in  the  light  of  the  Lord." 

Of  the  death  of  another  of  the  young  chiefs,  how- 
ever, whom  Mr.  Marsden  had  brought  back  with  him, 
better  news  was  soon  to  be  told.  An  ardent  desire 
to  see  England  had  induced  Mowhee,  after  his  return 
to  New  Zealand  from  Port  Jackson,  to  visit  this  coun- 
try. Working  his  passage  as  a  sailor,  he  arrived  in 
London  in  May,  1816,  where  he  was  befriended  by  the 
Church  Missionary  Society.  But  he  soon  sickened, 
and  in  less  than  eight  months  was  brought  to  the 
grave.  After  adverting  to  the  character  of  Duaterra 
in  the  following  words  of  the  Seventeenth  Report,  "We 
leave  this  lamented  chief  in  the  hands  of  Infinite 
Mercy,"  Mr.  Pratt  proceeds  : — 

"  Of  one  of  his  countrymen  who  has,  hke  him,  lefl  this 
world,  no  anxieties  whatever  rest  on  tlic  mind  with  respect  to 
his  eternal  safety.  Mowhee,  witli  whose  name  tlie  reader  of 
Mr.  Marsden's  Narrative  will  be  acquainted,  has  left  his  earthly 


1817.]  CHEERING  PROSPECTS.  137 

remains  with  us  in  this  hvnd,  but  his  soul  is  with  his  Lord ; 
and  the  first-fruits  of  New  Zealand  have  been  doubtless  ga- 
thered into  the  garner  of  Heaven,  and  are  a  pledge  of  that 
abundant  harvest  which  will  one  day  be  there  safely  housed  for 
ever !" 

The  success  of  the  attempts  to  obtain  a  footing  in 
the  country  of  these  chiefs,  was  cheering  news  to  the 
friends  of  the  cause,  as  Mr.  Pratt  tells  Mr.  Marsden, 
in  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  the  journal  of  his 
visit : — 

''June  7,  1S17. 

"  The  account  of  your  visit  to  New  Zealand,  as  published  in 
the  November  and  December  '  Registers,'  has  most  warmly  in- 
terested all  our  friends,  and  has  called  forth  much  prayer,  that 
the  New  Zealanders  may  be  taught  the  way  of  salvation. 

*'  You  will  observe,"  he  adds,  "  by  the  February  '  Register,' 
that  we  have  lost  Mowhee,  who  is  gone,  as  we  are  w-ell  per- 
suaded, to  the  heavenly  rest.  His  history  has  awakened  fresh 
sympathies  and  feelings  for  New  Zealand. 

'*  We  have  had  a  conference  with  some  of  our  Vice-Presi- 
dents respecting  the  aggressions  and  cruelties  of  South-Sea 
whalers,  and  have  determined,  in  consequence  of  your  repre- 
sentations, to  present  a  Memorial  to  Government  on  the  subject. 
It  is  already  prepared,  and  will,  as  we  hope,  be  presented  in  a 
few  days,  and  obtain  some  legal  and  adequate  protection  for 
the  New  Zealanders. 

******* 

"  You  will  see  in  the  *  Register'  a  full  view  of  what  is  doing  in 
every  part  of  the  world.  Our  Annual  Meetings  become  more 
heavenly  and  more  interesting  every  year. 

"  We  are  cheered  by  the  hope  that  our  Saviour  is  using  us 
as  His  instruments,  in  a  day  when  the  signs  of  the  approaching 
of  His  kingdom  in  every  part  of  tlie  earth  become  more  and 
more  plain.     We  are  persuaded  that  it  is  His  grace  which  has 


138  THREE  FIELDS  OF  LABOUR.  [Ciiai.  VIII. 

inclined  your  heart  to  be  willing  to  make  many  sacrifices  and 
undergo  many  labours,  and  go  through  evil  report  and  good 
report,  for  the  promoting  of  that  kingdom  which  shall  at  length 
be  established  in  all  the  earth.  May  we  give  all  the  glory  to 
Him,  and  never  be  weary  in  His  cause  ;  and  we  shall  doubtless 
have  our  reward  when  we  meet  before  His  throne. 

"  I  am  ever,  My  Dear  Sir,  affectionately  yours, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

At  the  date  of  this  letter,  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  had  fairly  entered  upon  the  three  chief  scenes 
of  its  operations — Africa,  New  Zealand,  and  India. 
In  this  encouraging  expansion  of  its  benevolent  efforts 
Mr.  Pratt  could  not  but  rejoice.  In  appealing  for 
larger  funds  to  meet  the  increasing  demands,  he  thus 
alludes  to  it : — 

"  It  is  a  peculiar  glory  of  institutions  like  ours,  that  they 
connect  every  one  of  their  members  with  the  whole  race  of 
their  fellow-men,  and  that  for  the  relief  of  their  most  urgent 
necessities.  The  steady  contribution  of  the  Society's  humblest 
friend  is  felt  by  the  African,  by  the  New  Zealander,  and 
by  the  Hindoo.  The  Child,  the  Servant,  and  the  Labourer 
are  raised  in  the  scale  of  intelligence,  of  motive,  and  of  feeling. 
They  are  drawn  out,  by  these  contributions,  beyond  the  little 
circle  of  their  own  interests  and  concerns  ;  and  begin  to  under- 
stand and  to  appreciate  the  high  honour  of  being  allowed  to 
take  a  share   in  the  chief  work  of  mercy — the  salvation  of 

THE  WORLD." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

1815—1818. 

A  LAUGE  NUMBER  OF  CANDIDATES  OFFElt  THEMSELVES  FOR  MISSIONARY 
WORK — MR.  PRATt's  MATURED  VIEWS  ON  THE  QUALIFICATIONS  OF  MIS- 
SIONARIES— THE  REV.  THOMAS  SCOTT  RELINQUISHES  THE  EDUCATION  OP 
CANDIDATES — THE  BASLE  INSTITUTION — CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  THE 
REV.  J.  BLUMHARDT — THE  INSTITUTION  AT  ISLINGTON  FOUNDED. 

The  awakened  zeal  of  the  Church  manifested  itself 
about  this  period,  not  only  by  the  increased  funds 
which  were  poured  into  the  Missionary  treasury,  and 
the  many  prayers  offered  up  for  the  Divine  blessing, 
but  also  in  the  increasing  number  of  those  who 
willingly  offered  themselves  to  labour  among  the 
heathen. 

At  first,  the  main  difficulty  lay  in  finding  men 
both  willing  and  able  to  devote  themselves  to  this 
arduous  calling ;  and  for  several  years,  as  we  have 
seen,  none  such  were  to  be  met  with  among  our 
own  countrymen.  But  in  1815  Mr.  Pratt  was  able 
to  say : — 

"  The  Committee  had  too  often  to  complain,  in  past  years, 
that  so  few  offered  themselves  to  this  office.  They  have  now 
to  report,  that  the  number  of  candidates  is  so  great,  that  they 
do  not  feel  themselves  warranted,  even  by  the  present  flourish- 
ing state  of  the  funds,  to  embrace  all  the  desirable  oflers  of 
service  which  are  made  to  them." 

At  the  same  time  we  find  him  writing  to  the  Rev. 


140  MISSIONARY  CANDIDATES.  [Chav.  IX. 

John  Joenike,  the  venerable  head  of  the  Berlin  Semi- 
nary, informing  him  of  this  change,  and  that  they 
were  not  now  dependent  on  foreign  aid. 

''Nov.  1,  1810. 

*'  In  tlius,  for  a  time  at  least,  taking  leave  of  you,  we  beg  you 
to  accept  our  hearty  thanks  for  all  the  kind  assistance  which 
you  and  your  friends  have  rendered  to  the  cause  of  our 
common  Lord  and  Master.  You  will  rejoice  that  His  kingdom 
flourishes  among  us,  and  that  His  servants  are  offering  them- 
selves to  promote  it  among  the  heathen. 

May  our  God  bless  and  strengthen  and  comfort  you  in 
your  declining  years,  and  may  we  all  meet  in  that  world  where 
our  labours  shall  end  in  eternal  repose  !" 

But  amongst  those  who  offered  themselves  for  Mis- 
sionary work,  there  were  some  whom  he  thought  it 
desirable  to  advise  "  well  to  count  the  cost,  and  to 
view  impartially  their  own  situation  and  character." 
And  this  advice  was  the  more  necessary,  as  his  "  rea- 
sonable expectations  and  hopes  had  not  been  without 
disappointment."  The  experience  afforded  by  the 
West-Africa  Mission,  had  enabled  him  to  take  an 
enlarged  and  comprehensive  view  of  the  elements 
necessary  for  the  formation  of  an  efTicient  Missionary 
character.  In  the  following  admirable  paper,  which 
he  drew  up  in  the  beginning  of  1817,  he  has  very 
ably  embodied  his  thoughts  and  views  on  this  sub- 
ject :— 

"  Not  a  few  of  the  present  race  of  Missionaries  emulate  the 
virtues  of  the  best  of  their  predecessors,  and  are  the  happiness 
and  honour  of  the  bodies  to  which  they  belong;  and  many 
more  are  devoting,  with  all  simplicity,  the  talents  entrusted  to 


1817.]  MISSIONARY  QUALIFICATIONS.  Ill 

them  to  the  honour  of  their  Lord ;  but  there  are  some  of  less 
weight  of  character. 

"  We  do  not  speak  of  those  shades  and  gradations  of  charac- 
ter which  are  inevitable  in  such  a  body  of  men ;  nor  of  that 
variety  of  talents  which  the  Great  Householder  commits,  for 
wise  purposes,  to  His  servants  :  but  we  speak  of  those  imper- 
fections which  have,  in  different  degrees,  disappointed  the 
reasonable  expectations  of  the  Societies  by  whom  such  per- 
sons have  been  prepared  and  sent  forth,  at  a  great  charge  on 
public  charity. 

"It  may  be  beneficial  to  trace  the  operations  of  a  mind  of 
this  description,  in  offering  itself  to  the  Missionary  service. 
An  honest  zeal  springs  up  in  a  man  newly  awakened  to  feel 
his  own  obligations  to  redeeming  mercy,  to  communicate  the 
knowledge  of  salvation  to  others.  Missionary  Sermons,  or 
Meetings,  or  Publications,  awaken  his  attention  to  the  awful 
state  of  the  heathen  world.  He  offers  himself  to  this  service ; 
he  persuades  himself  that  he  is  sincere,  and  he  really  is  sincere. 
Prudent  counsellors  advise  him  to  much  prayer,  self-examina- 
tion, and  a  diligent  study  of  the  Missionary  work  and  its  diffi- 
culties, with  his  own  fitness  for  the  labour ;  and  they  give  him 
faithful  intimations  of  their  own  judgment  respecting  him. 
These  may  happen  to  be  somewhat  humbling,  and  he  receives 
a  little  check  in  his  view  of  himself.  But  he  goes  to  his  pre- 
paratory work  under  the  strong  bias  of  new-kindled  zeal,  with 
little  real  self-suspicion,  and  with  little  actual  discernment  of 
motives ;  and  his  conclusions  are,  of  course,  favourable  to  his 
wishes.  He  perseveres,  and  prevails  ;  and  at  length  sets  forth 
on  his  high  errand,  not  to  teach,  alas  !  so  much  as  to  learn ! — 
to  learn  that  he  has  deceived  himself,  and  misled  others — that 
he  is  not  suflSciently  dead  to  the  world— that  he  is  unreason- 
ably careful  about  his  convenience  and  comforts— that  he  can- 
not deny  his  whole  self— that  he  cannot,  in  lowliness  of  mind, 
esteem  others  better  than  himself— that  he  cannot  keep  his 
eye  off  his  own  things  to  look  with  kind  consideration  and 


1  12  MISSIONARY  QUALIFICATIONS.  [Chap.  IX. 

Strict  impartiality  on  the  things  of  others — that  he  cannot  He  at 
the  feet  of  his  Master,  and  at  the  feet  of  his  brethren,  for  his 
Master's  sake.  He  learns  somewhat  of  these  painful  lessons 
before  he  reaches  the  heathen  shores ;  and  when  he  enters  on 
his  work,  still  he  has  much  to  learn  before  he  can  effectually 
teach.  He  counted  httle,  in  theory  and  at  home,  of  privations, 
and  difficulties,  and  opposition,  and  enmity,  and  strange  man- 
ners, and  new  modes  of  thinking,  and  prejudices,  and  duhiess, 
and  disappointments.  He  read  of  all  these,  and  thought 
lightly  of  them ;  but  he  has  now  to  learn  that  he  is  come  to 
this  arduous  work  inadequately  prepared — that,  as  he  knew  but 
little  of  himself,  so  he  knows  but  little  of  those  among  whom 
he  is  to  live— that  he  wants  that  good  sense,  that  intelligence, 
that  self-command,  that  unwearied  patience,  that  condescending 
kindness,  and  that  knowledge  of  the  heart  which  are  abso- 
lutely requisite  to  the  full  discharge  of  his  high  calling.  And 
well  will  it  be  for  him  if  he  discern  this ;  and  if,  feeling  his 
own  deficiencies,  he  go  humbly  to  his  Heavenly  Master,  and 
diligently  learn,  that  he  may  be  enabled  well  to  occupy  such 
talents  as  may  have  been  entrusted  to  him  in  teaching  others. 
The  wisest  and  best  of  our  Missionaries  must  learn  in  this 
way  :  but  they  know  this  ;  and  their  good  sense,  and  their  dili- 
gent study  of  their  own  hearts  and  of  mankind,  have  prepared 
them  to  learn  with  rapidity,  when  on  heathen  ground,  the  best 
methods  of  commending  their  message  to  the  men  among 
whom  they  are  to  live :  while  others  will  give  way  to  discon- 
tent, and  peevishness,  and  selfishness ;  and  will  grow  listless, 
and  ultimately,  unless  Divine  mercy  arrest  their  progress,  utterly 
unprofitable  in  the  great  work  which  they  have  undertaken. 

"  We  have  no  pleasure  in  drawing  such  a  sketch  of  human 
infirmities ;  and  rejoice  to  believe  that  but  a  few,  in  any  consi- 
derable degree,  answer  to  this  picture :  but  we  sincerely  hope 
that  this  statement  of  facts,  which,  in  various  measures,  have 
too  often  occurred,  may  act  as  a  caution  to  those  who  are  pur- 
posing to  ofler  themselves  to  this  service. 


1817.]  MISSIONARY  QUALIFICATIONS.  143 

"  We  know  the  difficulties  under  which  the  different  Socie- 
ties labour  in  their  judgment  of  candidates.  Where  there  are 
apparent  integrity,  and  piety,  and  zeal,  there  is  yet  sometimes 
an  absence  of  decided  missionary  talent;  and  where  there 
are  talent,  and  even  sincerity,  there  is  too  often  a  want  of  the 
RiissioNARY  SOUL.  There  is,  not  seldom,  a  moderate  portion 
of  various  Missionary  virtues  which  together  form  a  character 
which  you  cannot  disapprove,  and  are  reluctant  to  reject ;  but 
there  is  an  absence  of  those  decided  and  positive  missionary 
GIFTS  and  GRACES  which  would  lead  you  to  send  such  an  one 
forth  with  confidence  and  joy. 

"  We  would  not  be  supposed  to  undervalue  men  of  a  hea- 
venly character,  though  not  of  a  superior  mind.  No  ;  such 
men,  by  their  humility  and  unwearied  kindness  of  spirit,  are 
the  stay  and  comfort  of  their  brethren :  they  conciliate  and  win 
the  native  mind ;  and  they  call  down  the  blessing  of  their  Lord 
on  the  undertaking  in  which  they  are  engaged. 

"  But,  perhaps.  Christians  have  failed  here  in  the  great  duty 
of  prayer.  The  devoted  Missionary  is  the  greatest  character 
in  the  Church  of  Christ :  all  the  mere  dignities  of  outward  sta- 
tion sink  before  the  grandeur  of  his  mind  and  purpose.  But 
the  greatest  of  all  human  Missionaries  was  specially  prepared 
and  trained  for  his  arduous  service ;  and  the  more  we  study 
the  history  of  those  men  who  have  most  fully  imbibed  his 
spirit,  and  imitated  his  labours,  the  more  clearly  shall  we  dis- 
cern the  providential  and  gracious  influence  which  guided  them 
from  their  earliest  years.  The  true  Missionary  must  be  a  man 
peculiarly  called  and  prepared  of  Him  loho  divideth  to  every 
man  severally  as  He  loill. 

"  Let  us  then,  Christians,  in  all  our  prayers  for  the  success 
of  Missions,  never  fail  to  beseech  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  that 
He  toould  send  forth  labourers  into  His  harvest ;  that  lie  would 
graciously  prepare,  from  their  youthful  years,  by  the  leadings 
of  His  Providence  and  the  influences  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  able 


141  MR.  SCOTT.  [Chap.  IX. 

and  devoted  servants  for  the  advancement  of  His  kingdom  in 
the  world. 

"  Oh,  how  does  the  heart  cling  to  the  name  and  deeds  of 
such  men  of  God!  We  need  not  point  out  these  Christian 
HEROES.  Every  Society  actively  engaged  in  promoting  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  in  the  world  is  blessed  with  such  men. 
May  every  returning  year  multiply  their  number  manifold  !" 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Scott  had  for  several  years 
undertaken  the  instruction  of  the  Missionaries  pre- 
viously to  their  quitting  England  for  their  destina- 
tions. But  his  increasing  years  and  declining  health, 
as  well  as  the  growing  extent  and  importance  of  the 
Society,  rendered  it  necessary  to  make  some  new  ar- 
rangement for  the  preparation  of  a  larger  number  of 
candidates.  To  the  last,  however,  Mr.  Scott  laboured 
in  the  cause  which  he  so  much  loved,  and  to  which 
he  had  devoted  some  of  his  best  energies.  He  rejoiced 
to  see  others  entering  into  his  labours.  The  following 
extract  from  one  of  his  letters  will  be  read  with  in- 
terest : — 

"  Aston  Sandford,  March  15,  1817. 
"  As  to  myself,  I  am  just  well  enough  to  be  nearly  constantly 
employed ;  but  with  increasing  infirmities,  and  weariness,  and 
pains  :  yet,  bless  God,  nothing  very  acute.  Sometimes  an 
attack  of  fever  lays  me  by  awhile  ;  but  hitherto  it  is  gone  off  by 
proper  means.  I  have,  however,  finislied  my  seventy  years, 
and  must  expect  labour  and  sorrow.  Pray  for  me,  that  I  be 
supported  to  the  end,  and  finish  my  course  with  joy  :  and  may 
the  Lord  bless  and  prosper  you  and  yours,  and  all  your  labours 
of  love.    With  kind  remembrance  to  Mrs.  Pratt, 

"  I  remain.  Dear  Sir,  your  faithful  fi-iend  and  brother, 

"  Thomas  Scott." 


1815.]  THE  BASLE  INSTITUTION.  145 

In  the  midst  of  his  infirmities,  however,  Mr.  Scott 
was  not  idle.  Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  the  Rev.  Marma- 
duke  Thompson  at  Madras,  in  November,  1817  : — 

"  Bible  Scott,  as  he  is  expressly  called,  is  still  alive,  and  is 
exerting  himself  in  writing  fresh  books.  His  declining  years 
are  greatly  comforted  by  the  wonderful  things  which  God  is 
now  doing  in  the  earth." 

It  has  ever  been  a  standing  rule  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  that  "  A  friendly  intercourse  shall  be 
maintained  with  other  Protestant  Societies  engaged 
in  the  same  benevolent  design  of  propagating  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ."  The  war  in  which  this  coun- 
try had  been  so  long  engaged,  had  nearly  precluded 
any  application  of  this  rule  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
United  Kingdom.  But  the  return  of  universal  peace, 
in  the  year  1815,  afforded  an  opportunity  for  renewing 
that  friendly  intercourse,  which  all  true  Christians 
throughout  the  world  will  ever  desire  to  maintain. 
The  friends  of  the  Society  gladly  availed  themselves 
of  this  opening  to  diffuse  information  on  the  subject 
of  Missions,  and  to  offer  to  Foreign  Protestants  every 
practicable  degree  of  co-operation.  Amongst  other 
results  one  was,  the  commencement  of  a  correspon- 
dence with  a  new  Missionary  Institution  established 
at  Basle,  which  owed  its  origin  to  the  piety  of  some 
excellent  Christians  in  that  city.  Preserved  from  the 
desolation  and  ruin  with  which  they  had  been  threat- 
ened by  the  war  of  1815,  they  considered  that  they 
could  not  give  a  better  token  of  their  gratitude  than 
by  the  erection  of  a  Missionary  College,  from  which 
the  heralds  of  the  Gospel  might  go  forth  to  proclaim 

L 


146  THE  BASLE  INSTITUTION.  [Ciiav.  IX. 

"  peace"  to  the  heathen.  Meanwhile,  though  a  lively 
interest  on  the  subject  of  Missions  had  been  awakened 
in  England,  and  many  of  our  own  countrymen  had 
come  forward  to  enlist  in  the  service,  yet,  after  all,  the 
supply  of  suitable  men  had  not  kept  pace  with  the 
demand  :  labourers  of  the  right  stamp  were  still  the 
great  desideratum.  In  July,  1818,  Mr.  Pratt  writes 
to  Mr.  Thomason  : — 

"  Men  we  could  have  in  abundance ;  but  we  have  learned 
by  dear-bought  experience  to  look  for  much  more  than  ho- 
nesty of  intention.  Ignorance,  incapacity,  and  many  infir- 
mities may  be  compatible  with  such  honesty,  but  they  dis- 
qualify men  for  usefulness.  We  feel  the  importance  of  simply 
looking  to  God  in  nothing  more  than  in  the  preparation,  in  His 
providence  and  grace,  of  real  men  of  God  for  His  especial  ser- 
vice among  the  heathen.  We  have  all  failed,  perhaps,  here : 
let  it  be  a  part  of  our  unwearied  intercession  before  the 
Throne." 

And  further  on  he  adds : — 

"  Our  prosperity  is  steadily  growing ;  but  our  trials  keep 
pace  with  it.  Packets  crowd  in  from  our  Foreign  Stations, 
and  every  one  almost  contains  matter  for  sorrow  and  joy.  Oh  ! 
it  is  MEN  that  we  want:  men  of  God :  men  who  have  really 
counted  the  cost :  men  who  sacrifice  self-will  at  the  foot  of 
the  cross  as  well  as  self-love.  Pray  for  us,  that  our  Great 
Lord  would  send  us  such  men  ;  and  give  us  wisdom  and  love  to 
direct  them  aright." 

In  this  exigency,  the  establishment  of  the  Basle  In- 
stitution was  of  peculiar  importance,  and  the  Society 
gladly  availed  themselves  of  it.  This  is  one  of  those 
events  which  mark  the  good  providence  of  God  bless- 
ing the  plans  and  efforts  of  the  Society  ;  for  some  of 


1818.]  THE  BASLE  INSTITUTION.  147 

their  most  efficient  Missionaries  have  been  supjjlied 
from  Basle,  which  still  continues  to  be  a  most  im- 
portant Auxiliary  in  furnishing  valuable  labourers. 
The  first  students  from  this  Institution  were  under 
preparation  in  1818.  The  following  extract  from  a 
letter  of  Mr.  Pratt  to  the  Principal,  the  Rev.  Theo- 
philus  Blumhardt,  marks  the  high  class  of  Missio- 
naries he  was  seeking  to  engage  : — 

"It  is  necessary  to  the  furthering  of  the  Society's  designs 
that  these  students  should  be  men  of  superior  piety,  talents, 
and  learning.  It  is  probable  that  most  of  them  will  go  to 
India,  and  we  wish  them  therefore  to  be  men  of  well-informed 
and  enlarged  minds,  such  as  would  be  fit  to  occupy  the  office 
of  Christian  Pastors  among  any  class  of  society.  We  shall 
not  be  in  haste  to  call  them  forth  to  the  service.  We  want 
maturity  of  judgment,  deep  experience  of  themselves  and  of  the 
grace  of  our  Lord,  knowledge  of  the  world,  competent  learn- 
ing, and  good  and  open  and  kind  manners.  We  should  prefer 
men  who  have  received  an  early  education.  They  should  be 
men  of  self-denying,  mortified,  and  humble  spirits — of  lively 
faith,  and  ardent  love  to  Christ  and  to  the  souls  of  the  heathen. 
The  guilt  and  misery  of  the  heathen  should  have  been  so 
deeply  impressed  on  their  hearts,  and  the  glory  of  Christ  in 
their  conversion  so  strongly  felt,  that  they  should  prefer  this 
service  to  any  other  in  the  world.  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew 
should  be  familiar  to  them,  and  a  consequent  facility  of  ac- 
quiring a  knowledge  of  the  languages  of  the  heathen.  They 
must  agree  to  the  use  of  our  English  Liturgy,  and  of  our  plain 
and  simple  discipline,  if  requisite.  They  must  not  entertain 
any  thought  of  engagements  leading  to  marriage,  without  the 
full  and  explicit  consent  of  the  Society. 

"  I  have  entered  into  these  particulars,  dear  Sir,  that  we 
may  the  more  fully  understand  one  another." 

L  2 


148  THE  BASLE  INSTITUTION.  [Chap.  IX. 

The  students  who  are  now  received  from  this  Insti- 
tution come  to  England  as  laymen,  and  after  a  course 
of  training  are  presented  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  as 
candidates  for  ordination  in  the  English  Church,  Rut 
before  this  arrangement  was  made,  those  who  were 
engaged  in  the  Society's  Missions  with  Lutheran  Or- 
ders undertook  to  use  the  English  Liturgy,  and  to 
bring  up  their  converts  in  the  doctrine  and  discipline 
of  the  Church  of  England.  This  appears  from  the 
following  extract  from  a  letter  addressed  by  Mr. 
Blumhardt  to  Mr.  Pratt  :— 

"Basle,  2i)th  June,^S•2l. 
"  We  deem  it  very  reasonable  that  all  the  Missionaries  of 
your  Society  adopt  the  excellent  Liturgy  and  discipline  of 
your  Church,  and  act  in  the  same  manner,  in  all  respects,  as 
your  own  clergymen  do,  who  are  in  the  service  of  your  Society. 
All  our  students  are  prepared  for  it ;  and  after  having  perused 
your  Common-Prayer  Book,  they  find  not  the  least  doubt  to 
accept  of  it  as  their  own,  and  to  conform  themselves,  from 
a  full  convicLion  of  their  hearts,  to  the  ordinances  of  your 
Church." 

It  was  soon  after  this  period,  that  the  Society  at 
home,  taught  by  growing  experience,  felt  compelled 
to  adopt  some  different  course  in  the  selection  and  pre- 
paration of  Missionaries,  from  that  which  they  had 
hitherto  pursued.  Their  usual  practice  had  been,  to 
place  each  applicant  with  some  Clergyman  for  six 
months  on  probation,  and,  if  approved,  to  continue 
him  with  that  Clergyman,  or  send  him  to  one  of  the 
Universities,  till  ready  to  be  presented  for  Holy  Orders. 
The  results  of  this  arrangement  had  been,  in  various 
ways,  unsatisfactory.     Mr.  Pratt  had  repeatedly  urged 


1822— 1S2G.]  THE  ISLINGTON  INSTITUTION.  119 

the  necessity  of  having  some  collegiate  establishment 
near  London,  in  which  the  students  might  be  brought 
together,  and  trained  under  the  more  direct  observa- 
tion of  the  Committee  and  officers  by  some  able  and 
experienced  Mind  ;  their  true  qualities  developed  ; 
the  best  instructors  in  every  department  of  knowledge 
procured  at  the  smallest  expense  ;  attachment  fos- 
tered between  tlip  Society  and  its  Missionaries  ;  and 
the  accumulating  experience  of  the  Missionary  corps 
brought  to  bear  on  the  preparation  of  the  future  la- 
bourer. These  views  we  find  brought  forward  by  Mr, 
Pratt  in  an  Appeal,  prepared  and  signed  by  him  as 
Secretary  April  15,  1822,  for  "a  separate  subscription 
for  the  establishment  of  a  Seminary  at  Islington." 
Some  excellent  friends  objected  to  the  measure  on  the 
ground  of  the  expense.  The  result,  however,  was, 
the  opening  of  the  present  Institution  with  great  so- 
lemnity January  31,  1825,  when  Mr.  Pratt  invoked 
the  Divine  blessing  in  prayer.  The  foundation  stone 
of  the  new  buildings  was  laid  July  31,  1826,  when 
the  present  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  then  Vicar  of  Isling- 
ton, made  an  excellent  address  on  the  importance  of 
the  combination  of  sound  know^ledge  and  learning 
with  scriptural  piety  in  the  Missionary ;  and  Mr. 
Pratt  offered  up  a  dedicatory  prayer.  (See  Appendix.) 
The  Bishop  of  London  has  repeatedly  borne  testi- 
mony to  the  high  qualifications  of  the  Missionaries 
presented  to  him  for  Holy  Orders  from  this  Institu- 
tion ;  and  the  admirable  results  prove  the  ripeness  of 
judgment  with  which  it  was  suggested  and  pressed  on 
the  Society. 


CHAPTER  X. 

1817—1821. 

THE  CHURCH  BIISSIONARY  SOCIETY  IS  ATTACKED  BY  THE  ARCHDEACON  OF 
BATH DEFENCE  liV  THE  REV.  D.  WILSON ADVANTAGES  WHICH  RE- 
SULT— A  king's  LETTER  IN  BEHALF  OF  THE  SOCIETY  FOR  PROPAGATING 
THE  GOSPEL — MR.  PRATT  PUBLISHES  A  WORK  INTITULED  "  PROPAGANDA" 
— THE  NEW  IMPULSE  IN  BEHALF  OF  MISSIONS  IS  COMMUNICATED  TO 
AMERICA  —  CORRESPONDENCi:  BETWEEN  BISHOPS  GRISWOLD  AND  WHITE 
AND    MR.  PRATT— THE     AMERICAN    EPISCOPAL    CHURCH    ESTABLISHES    A 

MISSIONARY  SOCIETY MR.   PRATT    COMMUNICATES    ON    THE  SUBJECT  OF 

MISSIONS  WITH  OTHER  CHRISTIAN  BODIES  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1817,  a  very  unexpected  at- 
tempt was  made  to  arrest  the  onward  progress  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  ;  but,  as  on  similar  occa- 
sions, it  was  an  event  which  turned  out  to  the  further- 
ance of  the  Gospel. 

Mr.  Pratt  and  his  co-adjutor,  Mr.  Bickersteth,  were 
invited  to  Bath  to  establish  an  Association  in  that  city. 
Every  arrangement  being  made,  a  numerous  and  highly 
respectable  Meeting  was  held  for  this  purpose  at  the 
Guildhall,  on  the  1st  of  December.  The  Bishop  of 
Gloucester,  who  was  also  Dean  of  the  neighbouring 
city  of  Wells,  and  a  Vice-Patron  of  the  Society,  took 
the  chair,  and  opened  the  business  of  the  day  by  a  very 
impressive  statement  of  the  obligation  on  all  present, 
as  Christians,  as  Britons,  and  as  Churchmen,  to  support 
Missionary  exertions  ;  urging  the  necessity  for  such  an 
Institution  as  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  in  order 


18J7.3  PROTEST  OF  THE  ARCHDEACON  OF  BATH.  151 

to  enable  Churchmen  in  particular  to  fulfil  these  obli- 
gations. 

Mr.  Pratt  had  just  risen  to  lay  the  claims  of  the  So- 
ciety before  the  Meeting,  when  he  was  unexpectedly 
interrupted  by  the  Archdeacon  of  Bath ;  who  stated 
that  he  came  to  enter  a  protest,  in  the  name  of  his  Dio- 
cesan and  brethren,  against  the  invasion  of  the  diocese 
by  such  a  Society.  He  stated  that  a  Missionary  Society 
connected  with  the  Church — that  for  Propagating  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts — was  already  in  existence,  and 
therefore  the  establishment  of  another  Society  was 
unnecessary,  and  even  factious.  And  he  made  a 
personal  attack  upon  the  Right  Reverend  Prelate 
who  occupied  the  chair,  accusing  him  to  his  face 
of  intruding  within  the  jurisdiction  of  a  brother 
Bishop. 

When  the  Archdeacon  had  concluded  his  address, 
he  abruptly  left  the  hall,  and  Mr.  Pratt  proceeded  to 
detail  the  history,  objects,  and  success  of  the  Society 
which  had  been  thus  rudely  assailed,  and  urged  its 
claims  for  support  on  all  who  loved  the  doctrines  and 
worship  of  the  Church,  and  had  imbibed  her  apo- 
stolical spirit. 

During  the  Archdeacon's  address  the  Meeting  began 
on  several  occasions  to  manifest  feelings  of  displeasure, 
which  were  with  some  difficulty  suppressed  by  the 
Right  Reverend  Chairman,  who  entreated  them  to 
listen  with  patience  to  the  close — a  courtesy  which 
he  considered  due  to  the  Archdeacon's  station  in  the 
Church,  although  he  had  so  unwarrantably  obtruded 
himself  upon  a  Meeting,  which  was  so  far  select,  that 


152  DEFENCE  OF  THE  SOCIETY.  [Chap.  X. 

the  advertisements  had  invited  only  "  the  friends  of 
the  Society  "  to  attend. 

After  this  violent  attack,  several  pamphlets  on  both 
sides  of  the  question  speedily  issued  from  the  press  ; 
and  amongst  them  appeared  the  masterly  "Defence" 
of  the  Society  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  D.  Wilson,  now 
Bishop  of  Calcutta,  which  rapidly  went  through  seven- 
teen or  eighteen  editions.  It  entered  fully  and  deeply 
into  the  whole  question ;  and  it  stands  to  this  day  as 
a  bold  and  comprehensive  exhibition  of  the  broad 
principles  of  the  Society,  in  behalf  of  which  it  was 
written.  The  Bishop  of  Norwich,  in  writing  to  Mr. 
Bickersteth,  thus  notices  it : — 

"  DEAR  SIR  — 

"  Our  noble  cause  has  found  an  able  and  judicious  advocate 
in  Mr.  Wilson.  It  would  be  well  for  the  Established  Church 
and  for  religion  in  general,  if  we  were  all  of  us,  who  are  mini- 
sters of  the  Gospel,  animated  by  the  same  truly  Christian 
spirit ;  a  spirit  which  ought  to  be  the  characteristic  of  every 
one  who  is  in  earnest  a  follower  of  Him,  who  came  down  from 
heaven  to  proclaim  *  peace  and  good-will  toward  men.'  Re- 
member me  kindly  to  Mr.  Pratt,  and 

"  Believe  me,  sincerely  yours,  &c. 

"  H.  Norwich." 

"  45  Wimpole  Street,  January  the  liit/i,  1818." 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  it  proved  in  the  end, 
that  this  Protest  was  made  wholly  upon  the  Archdea- 
con's own  personal  responsibility,  without  the  concur- 
rence or  previous  knowledge  of  his  Diocesan ;  with 
whom,  indeed,  the  Bight  Rev.  Chairman  had,  contrary 
to  the  Archdeacon's  assumption,  previously  commu- 
nicated  upon    the    subject   of  his  presiding    on   this 


1818.]  ADVANTAGEOUS  RESULTS.  153 

occasion.    Another  remarkable  circumstance  was,  that 

the  Archdeacon,  who  pointed  with  such  triumph  to  the 

operations  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel, 

was  not  even  himself  a  subscriber  to  that  Society. 

It  cannot  be  wondered  at,  then,  that  when   these 

things  became   known,  the  Protest  defeated  its  own 

end.     Its  effect  was,  happily,  not  only  to  give  a  fresh 

impulse  to  the  general  cause  of  Missions,  but  more 

especially  to  re-animate  the  older  Societies  with  new 

life.     In  the  following  letter  Mr.  Pratt  traces  some  of 

these  happy  results  : — 

To  the  Rev.  T.  T.  Thomason. 

"  LoiNDON,  July  21,  1818. 
"  iMY  DEAR  BROTHER — 

******* 

"  Wonderful  things  have  taken  place  among  us  since  I  wrote 
to  you.  You  will  have  seen  ere  this  something  of  the  attack 
made  on  us  by  the  Archdeacon  of  Bath.  The  papers  have  teemed 
with  this  business.  We  have  sent  you  some  of  the  chief  pub- 
lications. The  Archdeacon  has  unwittingly  served  that  great 
cause  which  lies,  we  trust,  nearest  our  hearts.  He  gave  the 
Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  credit  for  doing  so  much, 
that  some  of  our  rulers  in  the  Church  have  felt  it  needful  to  do 
more  than  it  had  ever  entered  into  their  minds  to  contemplate. 
And  now,  by  virtue  of  a  King's  Letter,  to  be  issued  in  due 
time,  ALL  the  Clergy  will  be  enjoined  to  plead  the  cause  of 
Christian  Missions,  and  that  with  special  reference  to  India. 
For  the  Society,  in  order  to  do  what  it  could  with  despatch, 
has  placed  5000/.  at  the  disposal  of  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta 
[Bishop  Middleton],  in  order  to  promote  Missionary  objects  ; 
and  now  comes  forward  with  an  especial  claim  of  support  from 
C\\\xvc\\vcien,  because  it  is  about  to  commence  Missions  in  India, 
on  a  large  scale,  under  the  sanction  of  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta. 
"Had  any  one  told  me,  when  I  and  my  excellent  associate 


151  ROYAL  LETTER  FOR  THE  SOCIETY  [Chap.  X. 

Mr.  Bickersteth  were  travelling  to  Bath,  to  attend  the  famous 
Meeting  of  Dec.  1,  1817,  that  in  less  than  six  months  such  a 
measure  should  be  determined  on  by  Authority,  no  sagacity  of 
ours  could  have  devised  by  what  means  such  an  event  could 
have  been  accomplished  ;  but  we  would  adore  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  our  God,  and  pray  for  the  man  who  has  been  the 
undesigning  instrument  of  so  much  good." 

He  adverts  to  the  same  topics,  adding  one  or  two 
particulars,  in  writing  to  his  friend  Mr.  Corrie  : — 

"  You  will  have  heard,  before  you  receive  this,  of  our  late 
conflicts  and  difficulties.  God  has  graciously  overruled  a 
violent  attack  made  on  us  by  the  Archdeacon  of  Bath,  to  the  in- 
crease of  our  own  funds,  and  to  the  provoking  to  jealousy  of  the 
Christian-Knowledge  Society  and  of  the  Society  for  Propa- 
gating the  Gospel.  The  Christian-Knowledge  Society  is  edu- 
cating some  English  Missionaries,  and  the  Society  for  Propa- 
gating the  Gospel  has  placed  5000/.  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Bishop  of  Calcutta,  and  is  about  to  obtain  a  King's  Letter  for 
collections  throughout  all  churches  and  chapels  in  England  and 
Wales!  Is  not  this  wonderful?  Could  you  have  conceived 
any  means,  when  among  us,  by  which  the  Clergy,  willing  and 
unwilling,  should  be  constrained  in  all  their  pulpits  to  plead 
the  cause  of  Missions  ? — and  of  Missions  to  India !  True, 
numbers  will  make  this  a  reason  for  not  aiding  us  [of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society] ;  but  they  will  be  made  to  aid 
that  Cause  which  is  dearer,  we  trust,  to  all  our  hearts,  than  any 
consideration  respecting  ourselves." 

The  great  movement  which  thus  so  unexpectedly 
sprang  out  of  the  occurrences  at  Bath,  was  still  further 
promoted  by  an  admirable  discourse  preached  before 
the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  on  the  19th 
of  February  following  (IBID),  by  the  Bishop  of  Glou- 
cester.    Mr.  Pratt  printed  an  abstract  of  this  sermon 


1818.]  FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  155 

in  the  "Register"  (1819,  pp.  250 — 258),  as  he  consi- 
dered it  highly  calculated  to  promote  the  general 
Cause. 

The  events  of  this  most  interesting  epoch  in  the  his- 
tory of  Missionary  efforts  at  home,  gave  occasion  for 
the  exercise  of  that  disinterested  zeal  and  catholic 
spirit,  which  were  among  the  prominent  features 
of  his  character.  He  was  filled  with  the  love  of 
Christ;  and  the  free  and  full  proclamation  of  the 
blessed  Gospel,  by  whatever  means,  throughout  the 
world,  was  the  thing  he  ardently  longed  for.  He  re- 
joiced in  the  prosperity  of  all  who  promoted  that  great 
end.  The  circumstance  to  which  we  allude  was  this : — 
In  preparing  to  preach  in  obedience  to  the  King's  Let- 
ter, he  searched  the  printed  documents  of  the  Society 
for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  and  was  struck  by  the  many 
able  appeals  contained  in  the  annual  Sermons  which 
had  been  preached  before  the  Society.  It  immediately 
occurred  to  him,  that  these  might  be  made  available 
in  promoting  the  objects  of  the  Letter  issued  by  Royal 
authority  in  its  behalf. 

The  feeling  which  made  it  natural  for  him  to  be 
strongly  attached  to  his  own  Society  would  have  pro- 
duced in  many  others,  not  endowed  so  largely  as  he 
was  with  "  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ,"  if  not  jea- 
lousi/,  yet  at  least  silence,  respecting  an  institution, 
many  of  whose  warmest  advocates  had  looked  with 
suspicion  upon  the  rise  of  that  Society  of  which  he  was 
the  active  Secretary,  whilst,  in  some  instances,  they 
had  opposed  its  progress.  But,  with  the  quickness  of 
perception  for  which  he  was  remarkable  in  seizing  the 


lj(i  MR.  PRATT  PUBLISHES  A  [Chap.  X. 

right  time  for  doing  the  right  thing,  he  saw  that  the 
present  was  a  crisis  not  to  be  neglected.  He  felt  that 
though  this  new  movement,  which,  like  a  tidal  wave, 
was  spreading  far  and  wide  and  agitating  the  public 
mind,  originated  somewhat  in  a  spirit  of  rivalry ;  yet 
the  impulse  would  be  communicated  to  multitudes 
who  would  turn  it  to  good  account,  if  their  minds 
were  directed  into  a  right  channel. 

He  exulted  in  the  prospect  of  the  whole  kingdom 
being  aroused  by  royal  authority  to  consider  the  claims 
of  the  heathen  upon  the  compassion  of  the  Church ; 
but  he  felt  that  if  the  heralds  had  no  message  to  com- 
municate, and  no  facts  and  appeals  by  which  to  stir 
up  the  people,  the  command  would  go  forth  in  vain. 
The  great  body  of  the  clergy,  who  were  to  be  the  im- 
mediate agents  in  the  performance  of  this  duty,  were 
really  grievously  ignorant  upon  Missionary  subjects, 
as  well  as  deficient  in  Missionary  zeal;  and  to  very 
few  of  them  were  the  works  accessible  which  would 
alFord  the  requisite  information.  To  supply  this  desi- 
deratum he  set  himself  to  work  in  earnest. 

No  time  was  to  be  lost.  A  sufficiently  rapid  as 
well  as  extensive  circulation  of  any  pamphlet,  bearing 
marks  of  connection  with  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety, among  the  class  of  persons  whom  he  wished  to 
reach,  would  have  been  next  to  impossible.  Under 
these  circumstances,  it  occurred  to  him  to  collect,  in 
a  compendious  volume,  copious  extracts  from  the  an- 
nual sermons,  which  had  been  preached  during  more 
than  one  hundred  years  past  by  the  Bishops  and 
dignitaries  of  the  Church,  before  the  very  Society  in 


1819]  PAMPHLET  CALLED  "PROPAGANDA."  157 

behalf  of  which  the  Royal  Letter  was  issued.  He 
published  his  work  May  1,  1819,  as  By  a  Member  of  the 
Society,  without  attaching  his  name,  and  under  the 
following  title — "  Propaganda  :  being  an  Abstract  of 
the  Designs  and  Proceedings  of  the  Incorporated  So- 
ciety for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts ;  with  Extracts  from  the  Annual  Sermons."  It 
was  dedicated  to  the  Archbishops,  Bishops,  and  Clergy 
of  the  United  Kingdom  and  its  dependencies,  "  with 
an  earnest  hope  and  prayer  that  it"  might  "  be  ren- 
dered the  means  of  cherishing  throughout  the  Esta- 
blished Church  a  spirit  of  holy  zeal  and  enlarged 
charity  for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen." 

The  design  succeeded  even  beyond  expectation. 
The  book  was  received  with  great  favour  in  high 
quarters,  and  its  circulation  was  rapid.  A  second  edi- 
tion was  soon  called  for,  and  issued  from  the  press 
eight  months  after  the  publication  of  the  first.  It  was 
noticed  in  the  Christian  Rememhrancer,  as  "  a  particu- 
larly well-timed  and  useful  compilation :"  and  the  re- 
viewer closes  his  remarks  with  the  following  general 
commendation  : — 

"  We  can  warmly  vecommend  it  to  every  one  who  wishes  to 
make  himself  acquainted  with  the  principles  and  practice  of 
the  Society,  and  has  no  objection  to  receive  a  great  deal  of  in- 
formation in  a  very  small  compass." 

Mr.  Pratt  transmitted  copies  to  his  friends  in  India. 
He  writes  to  the  Rev.  M.  Thompson  of  Madras, 
May  2G,  1819  :— 

"  You  will  receive  herewith  some  copies  of  a  book  intituled 


15S  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  X. 

Propaganda,  which  will  explain  itself.  It  has  been  compiled 
by  your  present  correspondent,  but,  of  course,  anonymously, 
lest  the  workman  should  offend.  You  will  see  how  strong  the 
testimony  is,  which  our  dignitaries  bear  to  Missions.  Please 
to  disperse  these  copies  to  advantage." 

Under  the  same  date,  he  writes  to  the  Rev.  T.  T. 
Thomason,  transmitting  to  him  also  some  copies  of 
the  book  : — 

"  Will  you  do  me  the  favour  to  present  one  to  the  Bishop 
of  Calcutta,  in  my  name,  with  my  best  respects  ?  I  am  sure  he 
will  not  think  the  worse  of  it  for  old  acquaintance'  sake.  The 
rest  you  will  make  the  best  use  of  in  your  power.  They  fur- 
nish in  their  contents  a  noble  sanction  to  India  Missions." 

Bishop  Middleton  wrote  to  thank  Mr.  Pratt  for  his 
copy  :  the  Bishop's  letter  has  not  been  found,  but  the 
following  extracts  from  Mr.  Pratt's  reply  sufficiently 
shew  the  tenor  of  his  Lordship's  communication  : — 

To  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Calcutta. 

"■  London,  June  5,  1820. 
"  MY  LORD — 

"  I  beg  to  acknowledge  the  honour  of  your  Lordship's  letter 
of  the  1st  of  January.  It  has  afforded  me  much  gratification  that 
your  Lordship  api)roves  the  volume,  which  I  put  together  from 
the  documents  of  the  '  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Go- 
spel in  Foreign  Parts  ;'  and  that  thei'e  is  reason  to  hope  that 
it  rendered  service  to  the  Society,  in  making  its  proceedings 
and  claims  better  known. 

"  The  collections  for  the  Society,  as  your  Lordship  will  have 
heard,  have  amounted  to  about  45,000/.  I  cannot  but  hope 
that  it  will  please  God  to  open  such  opportunities  of  expendi- 
ture, that  the  Society  may,  at  no  great  distance  of  time,  feel 
itself  called  on  to   renew   its  Appeal   to   (he  Members  of  the 


1829.J  CORRESPONDENCE.  159 

Establishment.  It  is  a  pity  that  the  zeal  which  has  been 
awakened  should  be  suffered  to  die  away ;  and  I  am  fully 
satisfied  that,  if  the  great  body  of  the  clergy  would  annually 
appeal  to  their  parishioners,  the  result  would  be  highly  bene- 
ficial, both  to  the  contributors  and  to  the  cause  of  Christianity 

among  the  heathen. 

**»♦«■»* 

"  Your  Lordship's  testimony  to  the  improving  aspect  of 
affairs  in  India  is  very  encouraging ;  while  the  apprehension 
which  you  express,  lest  religion  should  not  keep  pace  with  the 
increase  of  knowledge,  speaks  strongly  for  the  importance  of 
introducing  Christian  books  and  principles,  in  every  practi- 
cable and  prudent  way,  into  our  plans  for  native  education. 
"  I  have  the  honour  to  remain,  with  great  respect, 
"  My  Lord,  your  Lordship's  very  obedient  servant, 

"  JosiAii  Pratt." 

It  is  most  instructive  to  trace  the  sequence  of  events 
which  followed,  one  after  another,  upon  the  memo- 
rable Meeting  at  Bath  in  December  1817.  In  a  letter 
to  Mr.  Corrie,  May  26,  1819,  Mr.  Pratt  announces  the 
use  to  which  Bishop  Middleton  was  designing  to  apply 
the  large  gi-ant  of  money,  which  the  Society  for  Propa- 
gating the  Gospel  had  placed  at  his  disposal : — 

"  Pray  tell  Mr.  Thomason,  what  I  forgot  to  mention  in  my 
letter  to  him,  that  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta  has  written  a  long 
letter  to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  in 
which  he  purposes  to  found,  with  the  5000/.  sent  him,  a  Col- 
lege near  Calcutta,  for  the  Education  of  Native  and  other  Mis- 
sionaries, and  for  the  Translation  of  the  Scriptures  and  Liturgy ; 
and  that  at  a  board  of  the  Society,  held  on  Friday  last,  at  which 
five  Bishops  were  present,  this  plan  was  approved.  The 
Bishop's  letter  is  to  be  published.  Possibly  the  Bishop's  plan 
may  have  transpired  in  India :  if  not,  you  will  all  use  this  in- 
formation as  you  judge  best. 


160  PROPOSAL  FOR  FOUNDING  [Cuap.  X. 

"  We  shall  all  come  at  last,  I  cannot  but  hope,  to  have  his 
Lordship's  candid  counsel  and  protection.  He  has  written  to 
the  Archdeacon  of  Colombo,  in  answer  to  an  inquiry  as  to  the 
line  of  conduct  to  be  pursued  towards  our  Missionaries  in 
Ceylon,  to  the  following  purport : — 'Respecting  your  newly- 
arrived  Missionaries,  Ordained  Clergymen,  I  see  no  objection 
to  their  being  admitted  to  preach  (for  the  present  at  least)  at 
the  Church  in  Pettah,  provided  that  they  consider  preach- 
ing to  Europeans  any  part  of  their  mission ;  and  generally,  I 
should  say,  they  should  be  received  and  treated  with  all  cour- 
tesy and  kindness,  so  long  as  they  do  not  interfere  with  duties 
to  which  they  have  no  appointment.' " 

The  proposal  of  founding  a  College  in  Calcutta, 
for  the  admirable  objects  contemplated  by  the  Bishop, 
seemed  so  important,  that  the  Church  INIissionary  So- 
ciety were  anxious  to  assist  in  the  great  design,  and 
at  the  same  time  conciliate  in  every  way  they  could 
the  Bishop's  regard,  without  compromising  their  own 
principles.  Mr.  Pratt  thus  apprises  Mr.  Tliomason, 
July  15,  1819,  of  the  step  which  the  Society  took  : — 

"  It  was  thought  a  most  desirable  opportunity  for  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  to  testify  its  good  will  to  the  exertions  of 
the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  and  those  of  the 
Bishop,  the  Christian-Knowledge  Society  having  taken  the 
lead.  On  Monday  last  it  was  unanimously  resolved  to  place 
5000/.  at  the  Bishop's  disposal,  through  the  medium  of  the 
Corresponding  Committee,  as  the  Committee  are  anxious  to 
give  you  every  fair  opportunity  of  conciliating  the  Bishop  to 
yourselves  and  to  our  plans.  For  your  fuller  information,  ex- 
tracts of  our  minutes  will  be  given  below.  The  sum  is  given 
quite  unconditionally.        *         ♦         ♦ 

"  We  now  commit  this  important  measure  into  your  hands, 
praying  God  graciously  to  direct  and  overrule  that  whicii  He, 


1829.]  A  COLLEGE  AT  CALCUTTA.  161 

who  searcheth  all  hearts,  knows  that  we  design  only  for  His 
glory,  by  uniting  and  extending,  in  every  practicable  way,  the 
exertions  of  that  Church  to  which  we  belong,  and  which  we 
most  earnestly  wish  and  labour  may  ever  shew  itself  as  a 
'  Pillar  and  Ground  of  the  Truth.' 

"  The  Committee  wish  every  thing  to  be  done  in  the  most 
handsome  and  conciliatory  way  to  the  Bishop  :  and  though  the 
Resolution  does  not  refer  to  any  future  aid  to  his  plans,  yet  if 
those  plans  proceed  as  they  seem  likely  to  do,  the  Committee 
will  gladly  render  such  further  assistance  as  may  be  in  their 
power." 

It  will  not  fail  to  be  observed  in  this,  as  in  other 
instances,  how  steady  and  consistent  has  been  the 
attachment  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  to  the 
Church  of  England ;  and  this  principle,  combined 
with  the  exercise  of  Christian  liberty  in  cases  where 
a  sense  of  duty  required  it,  has  led  to  very  beneficial 
results.  In  steadily  aiming  at  rendering  a  becoming 
obedience  to  ecclesiastical  authority,  it  has  been  the 
means  of  w^orking  out  several  Missionary  Church  prin- 
ciples which  no  former  precedents  had  supplied,  and 
which  could  alone  arise  from  the  peculiar  character 
of  Missionary  work. 

The  fresh  impulse  thus  given  to  the  Missionary 
cause  in  England  was  felt  by  our  brethren  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Atlantic ;  and  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety had  a  considerable  influence  in  promoting  and 
directing  it. 

After  the  establishment  of  peace  in  1815,  Mr.  Pratt 
took  advantage  of  the  influence  which  his  official  posi- 
tion conferred  upon  him,  to  open  a  communication  with 
some  of  the   Missionary  Institutions  in  America,  but 

M 


162  FORMATION  OF  MISSIONARY  [Chap.  X. 

especially  with  the  Bishops  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
of  the  United  States  ;  inviting  their  co-operation,  and 
offering,  in  the  name  of  the  Committee,  such  aid  as  it 
might  be  in  the  power  of  the  Society  to  render.  He 
commenced  the  intercourse  by  transmitting  copies  of 
the  ^^  Missionary  Register,"  and  also  of  the  Society's 
Reports. 

At  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  his  letters,  the  Bishop 
of  the  Eastern  Diocese,  Dr.  Griswold,  was  already 
calling  the  attention  of  his  Clergy  to  the  importance 
of  Missionary  objects,  in  a  Charge  which  he  was  then 
delivering ;  and  was  also  zealously  pressing  the  same 
subject  upon  the  notice  of  the  public,  in  a  Pastoral 
Letter  to  the  Churches.  He  gratefully  acknowledged 
Mr.  Pratt's  communication  in  a  letter  dated  July  15 ; 
and  in  November  of  the  same  year  he  wrote  again  to 
inform  him  that  a  young  Clergyman  had  been  found 
in  his  diocese  desirous  of  going  out  as  a  Missionary  to 
the  heathen, — the  Rev.  J.  R.  Andrus  ;  and  proposing 
that  he  should  join  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 
To  this  and  his  former  letter  Mr.  Pratt  replies  as 
follows  : —  '*^ 

"  To  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Griswold. 

"LoNDOJi,  July  8],  iniT. 
"  Right  Rev.  Sir — 

"  Your  letters  of  the  15th  of  July  and  24th  of  Nov.  last,  were 

duly  received.     My  very  extensive  and   important  duties  as 

Secretary  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  have  prevented  me 

from  writing  before,  gratefully  to  acknowledge  the  kindness 

with  which  you  had  received  our  communications,  and  to  thank 

you  for  the  important  information  with  whicli  you   had  fin-- 

nislied  me. 


1817.]  INSTITUTIONS  IN  AMERICA.  163 

"  We  have  availed  ourselves  of  such  parts  of  your  Address 
and  Charge  as  related  to  Missionary  subjects,  and  have  commu- 
nicated them,  with  your  letter  to  me,  to  our  friends.  We  were 
anxious  to  shew  them  that  the  hearts  of  the  members  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  in  America  had  been  warmed  in  this  holy 
cause. 

"  Your  last  letter  brings  before  us  a  subject  of  great  im- 
portance." 

He  here  enters  upon  the  subject  of  Mr.  Andrus 
joining  the  Church  Missionary  Society  ;  and  takes  the 
opportunity  of  proposing  a  different  plan  of  operation, 
more  calculated  to  draw  out  the  energies  of  the 
American  Church  : — 

"  The  Committee  have  thought  that  the  most  effectual  way 
of  raising  the  Missionary  zeal  in  America  would  be,  the  for- 
mation of  a  Church  Missionary  Society  in  the  Episcopal  Church 
of  the  United  States,  which,  however  small  in  its  beginnings, 
might  ultimately  so  increase  as  to  produce  the  most  extensive 
good." 

He  tells  the  Bishop  that  to  promote  this  object  he 
has  forwarded  to  him  various  publications  ;  explains 
the  plan  of  our  own  Society ;  and  gives  him  various 
suggestions  how  to  act,  in  forming  such  an  Institu- 
tion in  the  American  Church.     He  then  proceeds : — 

"  Should  the  formation  of  an  American  Episcopal  Missionary 
Society  be  accomplished,  the  Committee  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  authorise  you  to  draw  on  me  for  the  sum  of  200/. 
to  encourage  the  contributions  of  the  friends  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  and  of  Christianity  at  large. 

"  In  this  case  Mr.  Andrus  had  better  be  sent  to  Ceylon 
under  the  proposed  Society,  and  be  instructed  to  co-operate 
with  such  of  our  Missionaries  as  may  be  in  that  island. 

M  2 


IGl  CORRESPONDIiNCE  WITH  [CiiAr.  X. 

"  Sir  Alexander  Johnston,  the  Chief  Justice,  earnestly  presses 
us  to  send  Clergymen  of  the  Established  Church  thither ;  and 
there  is  evidently  a  wide  field  for  the  most  extensive  and  im- 
portant labours  in  that  island. 

"  I  need  only,  in  conclusion,  remark,  that,  after  much  expe- 
rience, we  have  invariably  found  that  endeavours  to  excite  and 
foster  a  Missionary  spirit  at  home,  have  not  only  succeeded  in 
their  immediate  objects,  but  have  been  of  great  collateral  good 
to  the  parties  themselves  ;  a  spirit  of  piety  has  been  fostered 
and  increased ;  the  friends  of  religion,  till  then  little  ac- 
quainted with  one  another,  have  been  brought  together ; 
domestic  charities  have  been  greatly  enlarged :  and  we  have 
all  felt  the  truth  of  the  declaration,  '  There  is  that  scattereth 
and  yet  increaseth.' 

"  I  am,  Right  Rev.  Sir, 

"  With  great  respect  and  regard,  your  faithful  servant, 

"  JosiAii  Pratt." 

In  September  Mr.  Pratt  wrote  a  similar  letter  to 
Bishop  White,  of  Pennsylvania.  The  suggestion  con- 
tained in  these  communications  led  to  a  consultation 
upon  the  practicability  of  carrying  the  proposal  into 
effect,  and  the  ultimate  result  was,  the  formation  of 
a  Missionary  Society  in  May  1820,  under  the  authority 
of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

On  this  subject  Bishop  Griswold  writes  to  Mr.  Pratt 
as  follows :  — 

"  After  the  Meeting  of  our  General  Convention  in  May  last, 
I  wrote  with  intention  of  giving  you  advice  of  what  we  had 
done ;  but  through  some  negligence  the  letter  was  not  for- 
warded. Others  wrote  with  the  like  intention,  from  whom 
probably  you  have  learned  that  the  Convention  then  formed 
a  Missionary  Society  to  be  designated  '  The  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Missionary  Society  in  the  United  States  for  Foreign  and 
Domestic  Missions.'     In  compliance  with   the  wishes  of  some 


1820.]  BISHOPS  GIUSWOLD  AND  WHITE.  IG.) 

individuals  Domestic  Missions  are  embraced ;  but  the  chief 
object  of  its  promoters  is,  the  propagating  of  the  Gospel  in 
foreign  parts.  What  progress  has  been  yet  made  in  collect- 
ing funds  I  am  unable  to  state.  Should  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  think  it  fitting  and  find  it  convenient  to  extend  to 
us  the  aid  which  was  once  so  generously  offered,  it  will  be  most 
thankfully  accepted.  Mr.  Andrus,  whose  zeal  in  the  good 
cause  is  in  no  degree  abated,  has  been  engaged  as  a  Missionai-y 
and  an  Agent  for  the  Colonization  Society  on  the  coast  of 
Africa,  for  which  field  of  labour  he  is  about  this  time  to  embark. 
His  labours,  we  trust,  will  be  much  aided  and  rendered  more 
useful  by  his  conducting  them  in  concert  with  your  Missionaries 
on  that  coast. 

"  The  publications  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  do  much 
honour  to  the  Institution,  and  must  be  very  extensively  useful. 
The  '^Missionary  Register'  contains  very  much  information, 
valuable  as  it  is  interesting.  I  have  received  the  '  llegister' 
down  to  May  1820,  with  the  exception  of  five  Numbers  of  the 
year  1818  (from  August  to  December  inclusive),  which  by  some 
accident  or  mistake  have  not  come.  The  Reports  of  the  So- 
ciety and  its  proceedings  sufficiently  evince  the  wisdom,  piety, 
and  zeal  of  its  members  ;  and  the  success  which  has  attended 
its  efforts  is  a  further  assurance,  that  the  Lord  has  given  you 
the  first  rank  among  the  many  noble  instruments  with  which 
lie  is  doing  His  work.  From  the  sure  word  of  prophecy,  and 
the  evident  signs  of  the  times,  we  are  authorised  in  the  belief, 
that  the  unprecedented  and  most  astonishing  exaltation  of  the 
British  p],mpire  is,  in  the  wise  and  gracious  purpose  of  the 
Almighty,  intended  to  facilitate  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's 
Kingdom ;  that  your  victorious  armies  will  be  the  pioneers  of 
the  Prince  of  Peace ;  and  that  your  fleets,  which  disperse 
through  the  earth  the  various  productions  of  nature  and  art, 
are  destined  to  be  freighted  with  the  richer  treasures  of  the 
Saviour's  Gospel. 

"To  this   country,  also,  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  extend  His 


Ida  BISHOP  GRISWOLD.  [Chap.  X. 

blessings,  temporal  and  spiritual.  He  has  many  faithful  la- 
bourers in  this  part  of  His  vineyard,  and  His  work,  we  "trust, 
is  still  advancing.  It  is,  however,  not  a  little  impeded  by  the 
prevalence  of  unsound  doctrines,  and  of  slavery.  The  latter 
evil  is  evidently  increasing.  The  pertinacity  with  which  a  very 
large  part  of  our  citizens  adhere  to  the  slave-holding  interest 
precludes  the  hope  of  this  country's  soon  becoming,  what  it  is 
so  often  and  so  absurdly  called,  '  A  land  of  freedom.'  The 
State  next  to  be  admitted  into  the  Union  has  a  constitution 
admitting  negro  slaves,  but  excluding  all  that  are  free  !  We 
have  reason,  however,  to  bless  God  that  there  is  on  this  globe 
one  country,  at  least,  into  which,  if  a  man  steps  his  foot,  he  is 
sure  not  to  be  a  slave. 

"  My  gratitude  is  much  engaged  by  your  past  favours  :  any 
further  communications  will  be  most  thankfully  received. 

"  With  sentiments  of  affection  I  remain.  Dear  Sir, 

"  Most  respectfully  your  friend  and  humble  servant, 

"  Alexander  V.  Griswold." 

As  the  influence  and  extent  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  grew,  and  its  attention  was  called  more  par- 
ticularly to  the  vastly  increasing  population  on  the 
banks  of  the  Mississippi,  it  became  necessary  to 
review  the  system  under  which  their  Missionary  ope- 
rations were  carried  on.  The  matter  was  brought 
before  the  General  Convention  on  three  occasions ; 
and  on  the  last,  in  1835,  the  new  and  present  ad- 
mirable constitution  was  decided  upon,  and  the  whole 
Church  declared  itself  to  be  thenceforth,  in  its  very 
nature  and  obligations,  a  Missionary  body.  This  was 
the  last  Convention  at  which  the  venerable  Bishop 
White  presided.  On  the  17th  of  July  in  the  following 
year,  he  departed  to  his  rest,  in  the  fiftieth  year  of  his 
episcoi)ate  and  the  ninety-first  of  his  age. 


1 


1835.]  AMERICAN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES.  1(57 

It  was  not,  however,  among  the  Episcopal  body 
alone,  that  the  influence  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  was  felt.  In  the  true  spirit  of  the  blessed 
Reformers  of  our  Church,  Mr.  Pratt  and  his  friends 
were  ready  to  hold  out  the  right  hand  of  fellowship 
to  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  the 
United  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  and  other  Chris- 
tian communities,  who  were  engaged  in  the  same 
great  work. 

These  movements  were  mostly  confined  to  the 
Northern  States ;  but  the  spirit  of  Missionary  enter- 
prise seemed  to  be  spreading  southw^ards.  To  a 
Clergyman  at  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia, — who,  from  a  love 
to  the  Missionary  cause,  and  with  no  present  oppor- 
tunity of  promoting  it  through  any  institution  in  his 
own  neighbourhood,  forwarded  a  subscription  through 
Mr.  Pratt  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society, — ^lie  wrote 
as  follows,  in  that  enlarged  spirit  of  brotherly  love 
which  so  eminently  distinguished  him  : — 

To  the  Rev.  /.  T.  Twining. 

"  London,  Feb.  17,  1821. 
"  MY  DEAR  SIR — 

"  Nothing  but  the  increasing  labours  in  which  I  am  engaged 
would  have  prevented  me  acknowledging  before  your  obliging 
letter.  It  is  a  considerable  gratification  to  us  to  find,  that  the 
friends  of  religion  in  America  feel  so  lively  an  interest  in  the 
prosperity  of  our  Society.  Indeed,  we  trust  the  true  spirit  of 
enlarged  charity,  which  considers  all  that  love  our  Saviour  and 
desire  to  promote  His  glory  as  one  family,  and  the  success  of 
one  part  of  this  family  as  the  success  of  all,  is  more  widely  dif- 
fusing itself  year  by  year  through  the  Christian  Churches. 
We  gratefully  accept   your  subscription  as  a  pleasing  proof  of 


168  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Ciiai.  X. 

the  interest  you  take  in  our  cause,  and  as  a  token  that  it  will 
not  be  long  before  you  have  a  Missionary  Society  in  Halifax. 
If  you  knew  all  the  discouragements  under  which  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  commenced,  and  those  under  which  most 
of  its  Associations  began,  you  would  more  than  ever  see  that 
there  is  nothing  too  much  to  expect  when  we  attempt  any 
thing  for  God,  according  to  His  will,  and  with  due  dependence 
on  His  blessing. 

"  The  Committee  will  have  great  pleasure  in  continuing  to 
supply  you  with  our  publications  from  time  to  time,  as  we 
have  opportunity  of  sending  them  to  you. 

"  We  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  Missionary  spirit 
is  yearly  gaining  increasing  strength  through  our  country  and 
through  the  world.  Indeed,  it  is  onv  confident  hope  that  the 
Churches  of  Christ  are  beginning  to  take  up  the  steady  resolu- 
tion never  to  rest,  never  to  cease  labouring,  till  the  whole  world 
hear  of  and  know  the  only  Saviour. 

*'  The  mainspring  of  our  support  has  been  the  diffusion  of 
information  on  the  subject.  Just  in  proportion  as  Missionary 
intelligence  has  been  extensively  spread,  so  has  support  been 
given  to  the  cause  ;  and  I  strongly  recommend  this  mode  as 
the  most  effective  means  of  interesting  the  affections  of  all 
around  you  in  Christian  Missions. 

"  With  every  good  wish,  I  am  faithfully  yours, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 


CHAPTER  XL 

1811—1830. 

ORIGIN    OP    THE    MEDITERRANEAN     MISSION— MR.    MAIR   AND    DR.   NAUDI 

PROPOSAL    TO    SEND  LITERARY    REPRESENTATIVES THE  REV.  WILLIAM 

JOWETT  DEVOTES  HIMSELF  TO  THE  WORK — CORRESPONDS  WITH  DR. 
BUCHANAN — RECEIVES  HIS  FINAL  INSTRUCTIONS  FROM  MR.  PRATT — 
PROCEEDS  TO  MALTA— TRANSLATION  OF  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES  INTO 
A  NATIVE  LANGUAGE  OF  ABYSSINIA  — THE  REV.  JAMES  CONNOR  GOES  OUT 
AS  A  SECOND  LITERARY  REPRESENTATIVE — MR.  .JOWETT  RETURNS  HOME 

PUBLISHES    "  CHRISTIAN    RESEARCHES    IN  THE  MEDITERRANEAN  "— 

RETURNS  AGAIN    TO    MALTA — PUBLISHES    THE    GOSPEL    OF    ST.  JOHN    IN 

MALTESE— RETURNS     TO    MALTA     FOR     THE     THIRD     AND     LAST    TIME 

REMARKS  ON   THE  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION. 

In  addition  to  the  Missions  already  noticed,  there  was 
another,  which  differed  greatly  from  them  in  its  cha- 
racter and  operations.  The  idea  of  occupying  a 
position  in  the  Mediterranean  had  been  suggested  to 
the  Society  as  early  as  the  year  1811,  in  consequence 
of  a  letter  addressed  to  Mr.  Pratt  by  a  member  of 
the  Romish  Church,  resident  in  Malta. 

It  was  represented  that,  the  revolutions  on  the  Con- 
tinent having  cut  off,  for  the  time,  the  resources  of  the 
ancient  Romish  Society  De  Propac/andd  Fide,  the  Mis- 
sions maintained  by  that  body  were  dwindling  away  ; 
and  the  design  of  Mr.  Pratt's  correspondent  (himself 
obscurely  feeling  after  better  things)  was,  to  urge  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  to  meet  this  opportunity  by 
sending  some  well-qualified  men  to  carry  the  Gospel 
into  the  Levant,  and  throughout  the  Greek  Archipelago, 


170  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

where  there  were  promising  prospects  of  usefulness.  The 
objects  proposed  were,  to  revive  decayed  Christianity, 
and  to  instruct  Mahomedans  in  the  faith  of  Christ. 

Dr.  Naudi,  the  gentleman  above  alluded  to,  opened 
the  correspondence  with  Mr.  Pratt  through  the  means 
of  H.  C.  Mair,  Esq.,  a  warm  friend  of  the  Society, 
who  had  been  spending  the  previous  winter  in  jVIalta 
on  account  of  his  health. 

In  what  light  the  Society  regarded  this  new  pro- 
posal, will  be  seen  by  the  following  reply  of  Mr.  Pratt 
to  Dr.  Naudi,  dated  October  19,  1811  :— 

"  It  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  receive  your  letter  of  June  2d 
last  by  the  hand  of  our  friend  Mr.  Mair.  1  laid  it  before  the 
Committee  of  the  '  Society  for  Missions  to  Africa  and  the  East,' 
of  which  Society  I  am  Secretary.  The  Committee  feel  the 
great  importance  of  the  object  which  you  propose.  They  beg 
you  to  accept  a  copy  of  the  'Proceedings'  of  the  Society.  By 
these  you  will  perceive  that  our  Society  is  as  yet  in  its  infancy, 
and  that  its  attempts  to  diffuse  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel 
have  been  hitherto  principally  directed  to  the  western  coast  of 
Africa.  We  have  also  in  our  country  such  a  demand  for  the 
service  of  pious  and  zealous  Ministers,  that  but  few  can  be 
found  inclined  to  go  abroad  on  foreign  Missions.  I  have  con- 
versed with  Mr.  Mair  on  this  subject.  He  tells  me,  that  the 
Archbishop  of  Aleppo  would  ordain  any  proper  young  man 
whom  we  should  send  out.  It  would  be  more  easy  for  us,  per- 
haps, to  send  out  men  not  yet  ordained,  than  to  send  out  such 
as  are  already  employed  actively  as  Ministers  at  home.  Yet 
we  do  not  despair  but  that,  on  representing  the  case  of  the 
East  in  our  next  Annual  Report,  some  zealous  Clergymen  may 
be  disposed  to  come  forward  and  offer  themselves  as  Missiona- 
ries to  that  (piarter  of  the  world.  If  two  or  three  pious  Greeks 
could  be  found  who  would  come  over  to  this  country  for  edu- 


1811.]  DR.  BUCHANAN'S  PROPOSAL.  171 

cation,  I  suppose  our  Society  would  gladly  take  them  under 

their  protection, 

****«♦* 

"  Allow  me,  my  dear  Sir,  to  congratulate  you  on  the  means 
and  opportunities  which  your  situation  affords  to  you  of  assist- 
ing the  efforts  of  your  fellow-Christians,  in  enlightening  the 
countries  around  you,  and  on  the  zealous  desire  which  God 
has  given  you  to  avail  yourself  of  these  opportunities.  He  that 
watereth  shall  he  tvatered  himself.  And  surely  there  is  no 
employ  so  noble,  or  so  suited  to  a  sinner  redeemed  by  the 
precious  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  to  labour  to  his  utmost 
power  to  bring  all  men  to  their  Saviour,  that  they  may  not 
perish  but  have  everlasting  life.  May  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God,  and  the  fellowship  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  be  with  you  and  all  the  Church  of  God.     Amen." 

The  disturbed  state  of  the  Continent,  as  well  as  the 
difficulty,  alluded  to  in  this  letter,  of  immediately  en- 
gaging proper  agents,  for  a  long  time  prevented  the 
Society's  following  up  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Naudi : 
but  it  was  felt,  as  Mr.  Pratt  wrote,  "  that  Malta  had 
not  been  placed  in  our  hands  merely  for  the  extension 
and  security  of  our  political  greatness :"  and  the  So- 
ciety accordingly  endeavoured  to  secure  the  services 
of  some  young  men  to  carry  out  the  desired  object. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Dr.  Buchanan  published 
his  work  on  Colonial  Episcopal  Establishment,  already 
noticed.*  In  that  publication  he  recommended  a 
plan  of  sending  Literary  Representatives  of  the 
Church,  to  reside  at  places  contiguous  to  the  scenes  of 
Christian  antiquity;  whose  office  it  should  be,  to  gather 

"  See  Chap.  V.  p.  74. 


172  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

and  communicate  information  upon  matters  connected 
with  the  diffusion  of  Christian  truth, — to  point  out 
proper  places  for  Christian  Missions, — and  generally 
to  interest  themselves  in  whatever  might  be  serviceable 
to  religion  and  the  promotion  of  Christianity, 

The  Society  at  length  met  with  one  willing  to  de- 
vote himself  to  this  interesting  sphere  of  labour.  He 
was  a  near  relative  of  Mr.  Pratt — his  brother-in-law, 
the  Rev.  William  Jowett,  then  Fellow  of  St.  John's 
College,  Cambridge.  It  was  in  October,  181.3,  that 
Mr.  Jowett  offered  his  services,  and  was  accepted  by 
the  Society  as  their  Literary  Representative  for 
Malta  and  the  Levant.  From  this  time  he  began 
assiduously  to  occupy  himself  in  preparation  for  his 
future  labours. 

In  the  meantime  Dr.  Naudi  visited  this  country, 
when  Mr.  Pratt  made  his  personal  acquaintance,  and 
obtained  what  fresh  information  he  could  for  the  di- 
rection of  the  new  operations  which  the  Society  were 
about  to  commence.  On  his  departure  to  his  native 
island  in  the  spring  of  1814,  Mr.  Pratt  wrote  to  him 
to  thank  him  for  his  assistance,  and  to  express  his 
personal  regard  towards  him  : — 

"  You  will  return  to  your  native  isle  after  your  sojourn  in 
ours  with  renewed  desires  and  resolutions,  I  doubt  iiot,  to  de- 
vote yourself  to  the  spiritual  good  of  mankind  :  and  I  cannot 
Ijut  hope  that  through  the  means  of  those  Societies*,  of  which 
you  are  the  zealous  friend,  the  moral  and  religious  state  of  the 


*  The  Church  INIissionary  Society,  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
and  the  Jews'  Society. 


1813.]  DR.  NAUDI  AND  DR.  BUCPIANAN.  I73 

Levant  will  rapidly  improve.  I  shall  not  cease  to  remember 
you  in  earnest  prayer,  that,  in  those  great  things  ichiclt  accom- 
fany  salvation  wherein  we  both  agree,  we  may  be  daily  making 
advances  towards  perfection.  God  is  dealing  in  a  wonderful 
manner  witli  the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  and  we  cannot  doubt 
that,  in  this  "  shaking  of  the  nations,"  His  kingdom  will  come. 
"  I  wish  you  a  happy  and  prosperous  voyage,  and  beg  a 
remembrance  in  your  prayers." 

Concerning  this  gentleman,  to  whose  correspond- 
ence the  origin  of  the  Malta  Mission  may  in  a  slight 
degree  be  traced,  it  is  unnecessary  to  make  further 
mention  :  except  only  to  notice,  that  in  subsequent 
years  he  rendered  cheerful  services  to  many  Missio- 
naries; though  he  continued  to  the  last  a  member  of 
the  Roman-Catholic  communion.  He  died  of  cholera 
a  few  years  since,  in  his  native  island. 

It  is  to  Dr.  Buchanan  that  the  honour  may  more 
properly  be  awarded,  of  having  laid,  in  conjunction 
with  Mr.  Pratt,  the  foundation  of  this  Mission.  In  the 
year  1811  he  had  formed  the  design  of  personally 
visiting  Syria  and  the  Holy  Land :  and  in  1813,  as 
above  stated,  he  threw  out  .the  idea  of  Literary  Repre- 
sentatives. He  was  consequently  prepared  to  enter 
with  peculiar  interest  into  the  plans  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  for  the  Levant.  Mr.  Pratt,  who 
had  a  natural  sympathy  with  minds  of  a  highly  prac- 
tical character,  entered  into  Dr.  Buchanan's  feelings, 
and  suggested  to  Mr.  Jowett  that  he  should  correspond 
with  him  on  the  subject.  He  accordingly  did  so ; 
and  a  few  very  brief  extracts  from  the  reply  to  his 
inquiries  are  here  inserted  : — 


174  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [CuAr.  XI. 

"  You  will  not  be  able  (Dr.  Buchanan  writes)  to  obtain  much 
tliat  will  be  useful  to  you  from  books.  Your  path  is  new.  You 
must  be  made  fit  for  your  undertaking  on  the  spot ;  for  the 
precise  duties  will  vary  considerably  at  different  Stations. 

"  After  you  have  been  some  months  in  the  place,  you  will 
begin  to  understand  what  ought  to  be  the  chief  measures  to 
be  adopted  for  the  promotion  of  Christian  knowledge.  Con- 
sider Malta  as  the  centre  of  correspondence.  Wherever  you 
hear  of  a  religious  man,  even  to  the  confines  of  Jerusalem,  and 
can  wi'ite  to  him  in  his  own  language,  address  him  on  the 
subject  of  Bibles.  He  will  soon  answer  you,  when  he  finds  it 
will  be  to  his  advantage ;  and  these  answers  are  the  documents 
which  your  Society  wishes  to  see. 

"  It  is  not  worth  your  while  to  leave  Malta  for  any  other 
place,  until  you  shall  have  acquired  the  language  of  that  place. 

"  Form  personal  friendship  with  men  of  real  piety,  if  such 
you  can  find ;  and  in  their  society  cherish  vital  religion  in 
your  own  heart.  These  good  men  are  the  instruments  which 
your  employers  at  home  hope  to  find,  and  on  whom  they  can 
depend  for  the  prosecution  of  ulterior  measures.  And  it  may 
happen  that  Providence  has  sent  you  forth,  not  so  much  to 
benefit  the  Society  as  to  benefit  yourself."* 


*  The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Jowett  to  hi.s  mother, 
dated  Nottingliam,  Oct.  23d,  1818,  giving  the  result  of  two  lengthened 
interviews  with  which  he  was  favoured  by  Dr.  Buclianan,  and  in  wliich 
the  state  of  Religion  at  that  time,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  was  freely 
discussed,  will  be  read  with  interest.  Incidentally  they  shew  the  pecu- 
liar value  of  Mr.  Pratt's  public  services,  at  the  critical  period  of  the 
renewal  of  the  East- India  Company's  Charter  that  very  .summer,  and  the 
consequent  immediate  enlargement  of  tlie  Society's  funds  and  operations. 
Mr.  Jowett  writes : — 

"He  asked  much  about  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  its  funds,  its 
principal  supporters,  and  active  meml)crs.  I  stated  that  Mr.  Pratt,  with 
two  other  clergymen,  had  just  left  Norwich,  where  tliey  had  collected 
nearly  lOOOZ.     It  did  him  good  to  hear  it:  who  else  were  the  active 

members? 


1813.]  INSTRUCTIONS  TO  MR.  JOWETT.  175 

On  the  14th  of  August,  1815,  Mr.  Jowett  received 
his  final  Instructions*  on  the  eve  of  his  clepcarturc. 
These  were  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Pratt,  and  they  ably 
set  forth  the  objects  which  the  Society  had  in  view  in 
taking  up  this  new  Mission,  and  the  manner  in  which 
they  proposed  to  carry  them  out.  Upon  this  extended 
Document  he  appears  to  have  bestowed  peculiar  pains, 
and  it  ranks  among  the  most  elaborate,  complete,  and 
finished  of  his  productions.  The  scene  before  him 
was  indeed  inspiring ;  and  the  ground  to  be  entered 
upon  was,  in  a  manner,  sacred.  -  The  objects  for  re- 
search and  labour  were  wonderfully  diversified ;  while 
the  sudden  and  complete  pacification  of  Europe,  after 
an  intense  struggle  of  twenty  years'  duration,  opened 
channels  of  usefulness  almost  unbounded.  To  which 
might  be  added  the  personal  interest  which  he  took 
in  the  future  career  of  one  who,  on  his  part,  looked 


members  ?  I  mentioned  Mr.  Woodd,  with  his  1050/.  from  tlie  Yorkshire 
tour ;  Mr.  Goode's  300/.  or  400/.  in  Cheshire  ;  and  Mr.  Stewart's  200/.  in 
Hampshire.  He  said  tliat  Mr.  Pratt  had  a  great  deal  to  do,  and  that  these 
things  would  reward  him  as  the  fruit  of  his  long  exertions,  for  that  to  him, 
and  his  great  readiness  in  printing  what  was  proper,  was  owing  this 
increase  of  the  Society's  funds.  He  had  l)etter  give  up  a  lectureship  than 
give  up  his  present  situation,  with  all  its  labours :  for  he  can  get  any  body 
to  stand  up  in  his  place  and  preach  ;  but  he  cannot  get  any  body  to  do  the 
work  that  he  does  for  the  Society.  Dr.  Buchanan  remarked,  '  How 
curious  that  none  of  the  Bishops  join!  What  are  they  afraid  of?'  but 
added,  '  They  are  fallen  on  times  that  will  give  them  no  peace ;  tlic  time 
is  come  ;  the  time  is  come  ;  and  if  they  do  not  bestir  themselves  in  this 
great  work,  other  denominations  will.' " 

*  Sec  Appendix  V.   of  Sixteenth  Report  of  tlie  Church  Missionary 
Society. 


176  MR-  PRATT'S  INSTRUCTIONS  [Chap.  XI. 

up  to  Mr.  Pratt  with  little  less  than  filial  reverence 
and  afTection. 

The  acquiring  of  information  and  the  propaga- 
tion OF  CHRISTIAN  KNOWLEDGE,  wcTC  the  two  leading 
points  to  which  Mr.  Jowett's  attention  was  directed  in 
these  Instructions. 

The  topics  of  investigation  were  to  be,  The  State 
of  Relifiion  and  Society  in  the  countries  bordering  on 
the  Mediterranean,  and  the  best  means  of  their  ame- 
lioration. 

"  The  shores  of  die  Mediterranean" — to  quote  the  language 
of  Mr.  Pratt  in  addressing  his  relative  — "  have  been  the 
theatre  of  the  most  interesting  events  in  the  history  of  man  :  but, 
now  for  ages,  these  shores  have  been  enveloped  in  the  mists 
of  ignorance  and  superstition,  and  their  inhabitants  weighed 
down  by  the  heavy  hand  of  fanaticism  and  barbarity.  A  death- 
like stillness  shocks  the  Christian  ear. 

"  But  this  cannot  remain.     We  know   that  True   Religion 

must  regain  its  dominion We  send  you  forth  as  a 

Christian  traveller  to  inquire  into  the  best  means  of  extending 
its  peaceful  and  beneficent  sway.  God  has  bestowed  on  you, 
we  trust,  an  eye  that  will  discern  things  in  their  true  colours, 
and  a  heart  to  feel  at  the  sight  as  becomes  a  Christian.  We 
hope  that  you  are  the  precursor  of  many  that  will  follow.  The 
Church  .  .  .  wants  [men]  ,  .  who  will  .  .  visit  her  members 
scattered  among  Mahomedans  and  Pagans  ;  and  who  will  en- 
deavour to  arouse  these  Christians,  that  they  may  become  the 
means  of  diflusing  their  holy  fiiith  among  the  nations. 

"  Rare  indeed  is  it  to  find  a  traveller  who  possesses  a  Chris- 
tian eye  and  a  Christian  heart — who  judges  by  aright  standard, 

and  is  alive  to  the  real  interests  of  men The  flag  of  this 

country  is  familiar  to  every  eye  [in  the  regions  which  you  are 
sent  to  explore] — learning  and  commerce  have  their  represen- 


1815.]  TO  MR.  JOWETT.  177 

tatives — the  classic,  the  painter,  the  statuary,  the  antiquarian, 
the  naturalist,  the  merchant,  the  patriot,  the  soldier,  all  have 
their  reporters ;  but  no  one  details  to  us  the  number  and  the 
characters  of  Christians :  no  one  names  the  men  who  are  there, 
perhaps  in  retirement,  sighing  over  the  moral  condition  of 
their  country,  and  calling,  as  Europe  once  did  to  Asia,  Come 
over  and  help  us  /" 

His  attention  is  then  particularly  directed  to  the 
Roman  Church.  "  Notice  her  condition,"  are  the 
words  of  instruction — "  any  favourable  indications — 
the  means  of  communicating  to  her  our  privileges." 
He  was  apprised  that  he  could  not  act  "  as  a  public 
impugner  of  her  errors,  nor  as  a  reformer  of  her  prac- 
tice;" but  "he  might  watch,  with  a  friendly  eye,  to 
ascertain  the  best  means  of  restoring  her  to  primitive 
health  and  vigour." 

The  vast  possessions  of  the  followers  of  the  False 
Prophet,  "  almost  begirding  this  inland  ocean,"  are 
next  noticed.  "  From  the  Mediterranean  .  .  free 
access"  presented  itself  "to  the  chief  seats  of  that 
superstition,"  which  was  at  this  time  beginning  to  be 
^'  shaken  to  the  very  centre  by  enemies  nurtured  within 
its  bosom." 

Then  the  Greeks  are  mentioned,  under  the  Patriarch 
of  Constantinople ;  the  Jacobites,  under  the  Patriarch 
of  Antioch  ;  the  Copts  and  Abyssinians,  under  the 
Patriarch  of  Alexandria;  the  Armenians,  NestoriaxNS, 
and  other  classes  of  Christians. 

"  The  learned  Mosheim,"  Mr.  Pratt  proceeds,  "  will  guide 
you  to  many  important  topics  of  inquiry,  with  respect  to  the 
external  and  visible  Church  in  the  East ;  and  the  penetrating 

N 


178  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

and  devout  Milner  will  assist  you  in  searching  for  her  true 
members." 

The  Jews,  of  whom  "  multitudes  are  scattered  among 
the  Mahomedans"  "in  North  Africa,  and  all  round  to 
the  seat  of  their  ancient  glory "  were  to  form  a  most 
important  object  of  inquiry. 

Of  the  Heathen  also,  though  not  to  be  found 
in  any  considerable  numbers  in  contact  with  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  every  inquiry  should 
be  made. 

To  these  were  added,  "  the  Druses  of  Mount  Leba- 
non, who  speak  Arabic,  but"  were  "  said  to  be  in  part 
heathens": — "the  great  Hordes,  whether  Mahomedan 
or  heathen,  in  Syria,  Juda3a,  and  Egypt." 

These  and  other  bodies,  which  it  is  needless  here  to 
enumerate,  were  embraced  in  Mr.  Pratt's  comprehen- 
sive survey  of  the  field  upon  which  the  Society  was 
about  to  enter ;  and  it  was  upon  the  state  of  Religion 
and  society  among  these  people  that  Mr.  Jowett  was 
to  make  his  inquiries,  and  also  to  oITer  suggestions  to 
the  Society  regarding  the  best  methods  to  be  conse- 
quently adopted. 

The  MEANS  by  which  he  was  to  prosecute  his  inqui- 
ries next  came  under  view  :  these  were,  Correspon- 
dence, Conference^  and  Observation. 

After  making  various  important  suggestions  on 
these  points,  Mr.  Pratt  comes  to  the  main  object  of 
the  Mission,  which  would  be  promoted  in  proportion 
as  accurate  information  should  be  obtained  on  the 
state  of  the  surrounding  countries  ;  viz.  the  propaga- 
tion OF  ciinisTiAN  KNOWLEDGE.     This  it  was  proposed 


1815.]  INSTRUCTIONS  TO  MR.  JOWETT.  .     179 

to  attempt  in  three  ways  : — by  the  Press,  by  Journeys, 
and  by  Edi(catlon. 

Such  is  the  general  outline  of  these  Instructions. 
It  is  observable  that  Preaching  is  not  distinctly  named 
in  this  enumeration  of  duties :  not  because  its  im- 
portance was  overlooked ;  but  because  the  primary 
object  of  the  Society's  Representative  was  Research  ; 
in  the  course  of  which  Mr.  Pratt  anticipated  that 
many  suggestions  of  a  practical  nature  would  offer 
themselves.  And  this,  in  fact,  proved  to  be  the 
case :  but  in  the  mean  time,  the  imperfect  connection 
between  this  incipient  Mission  and  the  discharge  of 
ordinary  ministerial  engagements,  was  thus  judiciously 
stated : — 

"So  far  as  respects  the  exercise  of  your  ministry,  the  cir- 
cumstances of  Malta  may  preclude  you,  perhaps  almost  entirely, 
from  opportunities.  You  will,  doubtless,  feel  this  to  be  a  call 
for  submission  to  the  Divine  will :  yet  we  cannot  but  affec- 
tionately urge  you  to  watch  against  the  deadening  influence  of 
such  a  situation ;  and  to  pray  that  Divine  grace  may  maintain 
in  you  the  spirit  of  an  evangelist,  and  the  desire  to  do  His  work, 
and  to  make  full  pi'oof  of  your  ministry. 

"  But  there  is  scarcely  an  island  or  a  shore  near  you  on  which 
you  can  set  foot,  where  the  message  of  Divine  mercy  will  not 
be  heard  by  some  with  attention,  if  delivered  in  the  spirit  and 
language  of  love.  '  Always  a  minister  '  should  be  your 
motto ;  and  while  you  are  discoursing  on  the  ruin  and  recovery 
of  mankind  to  a  knot  of  villagers,  or  even  to  the  solitary  tra- 
veller, satisfy  yourself  that  the  ear  of  your  Heavenly  Master 
listens  with  delight,  and  His  eye  is  upon  you  for  good,  and 
that  you  are  doing  a  work  as  acceptable  to  Him,  as  if  you  could 
assemble  thousands  to  hear  you  with  attention." 

N  2 


ISO     •  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

The  paternal  counsels  with  which  Mr.  Pratt  closed 
the  Committee's  Instructions  on  this  occasion  must  not 
be  omitted, — they  are  worthy  the  attention  of  every 
Missionary. 

"  We  particularly  recommend  it  to  you  to  study  the  Epistles 
of  St.  Paul  to  Timothy  and  Titus.  The  whole  of  the  New 
Testament  must,  indeed,  acquire  a  fresh  and  lively  interest 
from  the  scenes  around  you  ;  and  on  the  history  of  the  Acts 
and  the  different  Epistles,  in  particular,  you  will  find  new  light 
thrown :  but  the  instructions  of  the  great  Evangelist  of  the 
Mediterranean  to  his  two  young  friends,  settled  on  the  very 
shores  under  your  eye,  will  form  a  code  of  rules  and  a  body 
of  encouragement  for  you  at  this  day. 

"  For  the  strengthening  of  your  own  mind  cultivate  the  friend- 
ship of  persons  of  real  piety  wherever  you  find  them.  •  *  •  « 
The  loss  of  the  usual  means  of  grace  will  be  sensibly  felt  by 
you  ;  and  you  will  more  than  ever  feel  the  blessing  of  *  the 
communion  of  saints,'  and  of  taJcing  sweet  coimsel  together  with 
men  of  like  mind." 

Mr.  and  INIrs.  Jowett  reached  their  destination  on 
the  1st  of  November,  1815 ;  and  he  soon  commenced 
the  work  of  inquiry.  In  his  first  attempt,  however,  to 
open  a  correspondence,  he  met  with  an  affecting  dis- 
appointment in  the  death  of  the  gentleman  whom  he 
addressed.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  him 
as  follows  : — 

"London,  March  10,  18IG. 
"  Your  correspondence  seemed  to  open  with  promise ;  but 
you  have  soon  had  to  encounter  trials  in  the  death  of  your  cor- 
respondent. Be  not  discouraged.  Sit  down  to  your  daily  work 
in  the  spirit  of  a  child,  and  let  your  eye  and  your  heart  be  ever 
directed  to  that  Lord  whom  you  serve.  You  may  uicet  with 
indifference  and  neglect  in  some  to  whom  you  write ;  but  others 


1815.]  MR.  JOWETT  PROCEEDS  TO  MALTA.  181 

you  will  find  out,  by  determined  perseverance,  of  a  different 
mind.  The  state  of  Englishmen  abroad  is  often,  as  you  lament, 
disgraceful ;  and  I  sometimes  begin  to  fear  that  the  moral 
degradation  produced,  or  rather  drawn  out,  by  East  Indian, 
West  Indian,  and  other  colonial  residence,  will  draw  on  our 
country  the  wrath  of  heaven  :  but  sure  I  am  that  nothing  can 
more  tend  to  avert  that  wrath,  and  to  effect  a  happy  change, 
than  the  prayers  and  exertions  of  our  Societies  at  home,  and 
the  intercessions,  example,  and  '  sighing  and  crying  for  all 
these  abominations'  of  those  who  are  sent  forth  by  us  to  stem 
the  torrent  of  evil.  Send  us  the  fullest  accounts  that  you  can 
find  time  to  prepare,  of  all  scenes  of  the  nature  hinted  at,  as 
they  pass  around  you.  We  shall  get  better  acquainted  thereby 
with  the  actual  condition  of  things."  And  then,  referring  to 
intercourse  with  persons  in  the  superior  walks  of  life,  he 
adds — "  If  you  can  find  some  of  the  Mollia  tempera  fundi, 
avail  yourself  of  them,  but  beware  of  doing  it  offensively.  I 
would  be  one  of  the  last  men  on  earth  to  advise  you  to  be 
silent  when  you  ought  to  speak ;  but  your  situation  is  very 
peculiar,  and  you  may  frustrate  or  retard  the  grand  end  of  your 
Mission,  by  volunteering  in  that  to  which  you  have  no  proper 
call.  I  earnestly  advise  you  to  much  meditation,  and  retire- 
ment, and  prayer.  Refresh  your  mind  by  the  converse  and 
advice  of  such  Christian  friends  as  may  be  near  you;  but  dwell 
much  with  the  Lord,  and  let  your  spirit  be  refreshed  by  His 
gracious  visitations." 

In  1816  Mr.  Jowett  visited  Corfu,  where  he  spent 
four  months,  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  himself  in 
his  knowledge  of  Modern  Greek,  with  the  view  of 
undertaking,  at  some  future  period,  if  practicable,  the 
translation  of  the  Old  Testament  into  that  language.* 


*  This  work  lias  since  been  performed  by  Professor  Bambas,  a  native 
distinguished  for  his  learning.     The  Bible  Society,  in  their  last  Report 

(1848J, 


182  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

In  1818  he  went  to  Smyrna,  Haivali,  Scio,  Athens, 
Hydra,  IMilo,  and  Zante,  and  returned  to  Malta  in 
July,  after  ''  a  very  effective  tour."  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  same  year  the  Rev.  James  Connor,  M.A., 
of  the  University  of  Oxford,  was  sent  as  a  second  Re- 
presentative :  he  spent  part  of  the  two  following  years 
in  visiting  Candia,  Rhodes,  Cyprus,  and  various  parts 
of  Syria  and  Palestine.  In  1819  Mr.  Jowett  made 
an  important  visit  to  Egypt,  spending  some  time  in 
Alexandria  and  Cairo,  and  then  proceeding  up  the 
Nile :  a  visit  which  "  enlarged  (writes  Mr.  Pratt)  the 
sphere  of  the  Society's  operations ;  and  has  proved, 
in  its  results,  highly  advantageous  to  the  plans  in 
progress  for  preparing  the  Scriptures  for  the  people 
of  Abyssinia." 

He  here  more  especially  alludes  to  the  purchase, 
in  1820,  of  a  valuable  translation  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures in  the  Amharic,  one  of  the  vernacular  lan- 
guages of  Abyssinia;  a  dialect  which  was  spoken 
tliroughout  at  least  half  that  country,  and  which  had 
obtained  the  title  of  the  Royal  language,  from  its 
being  used  at  Court. 

To  M.  Asselin  de  Cherville,  French  Consul  at  Cairo, 
it  was  owing,  under  the  good  providence  of  God,  that 
this  work  had  been  prepared  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Abyssinian  nation.  And  it  is  not  the  least  interesting 
feature  in  the  history  of  this  affair,  that  the  scholar 


(1848),  state  tluit  they  have  had  the  privilege  of  distributing  240,000 
copies  of  the  Scriptures,  in  whole  or  in  parts,  for  the  use  of  the  Greeks. 
This  extends  over  a  period  of  rather  more  tlian  thirty  years. 


18-20.]  THE  AMIIARIC  TRANSLATION.  183 

whose  services  he  had  happily  secured  for  this  diffi- 
cult and  important  work,  was  a  poor  old  Abyssinian, 
a  master  of  the  literature  of  his  country,  who  had 
traversed  the  most  remote  regions  of  Asia,  and  had 
formerly  been  the  instructor  of  Bruce  at  Gondar, 
and  of  Sir  William  Jones  in  India. 

Both  the  Church  Missionary  and  Bible  Societies 
deemed  this  manuscript  of  the  highest  value  for 
their  purposes  in  behalf  of  Abyssinia.  Much  deli- 
beration and  care  were  necessary  in  so  important  a 
transaction,  as  the  purchase  of  this  unique  work.  A 
copy  of  the  translation  of  the  Book  of  Genesis  had 
been  transmitted  to  England  by  M.  Asselin,  and  a 
correspondence  opened  between  the  Secretary  of  the 
Bible  Society  and  Baron  de  Sacy  at  Paris,  before  the 
price  was  finally  determined  and  the  agreement  con- 
cluded. 

"  The  Bible  Society,"  writes  Mr.  Pratt,  "  will,  I  have  no 
doubt,  purchase  the  work  at  any  reasonable  price,  when  fully 
satisfied  of  its  due  execution.  In  the  meanwhile,  it  might  be 
well  for  you  to  apprise  M.  Asselin  of  the  state  of  things,  and 
return  him  the  sincere  thanks  of  the  Society  for  his  present, 
and  express  to  him  the  pleasure  witli  which  the  Committee 
number  him  among  its  correspondents  and  friends.  The  Papal 
Orders  will  not  be  much  of  an  obstacle,  I  imagine,  provided  a 
due  price  be  obtainable  :*  but  Mr.  Owen  will  mention  this 
matter  to  Baron  de  Sacy.  With  regard  to  the  actual  price  to  be 
paid,  it  seems  to  me  to  be  fair  to  adjust  it  by  a  combined  view 


*  An  order  from  the  Propaganda  had  been  forwarded  to  M.  Asselin, 
laying  a  restraint  upon  the  work :  an  order  to  which  that  gentleman  was 
likely  to  pay  very  little  attention. 


184  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

of  the  time  and  labour  bestowed  on  the  work,  together  with  the 
value  of  it  as  a  marketable  commodity  now  that  it  is  executed. 
Had  the  Society  employed  M.  Asselin  and  his  assistant,  all 
their  expenses  must  have  been  discharged ;  but,  under  present 
circumstances,  as  it  seems  to  me,  the  amount  of  such  expenses 
must  be  modified  by  the  consideration  of  what  can  be  made  of 
the  work  in  any  other  quarter.  The  object  is,  indeed,  great ; 
nor  should  a  few  hundred  pounds  be  a  bar  to  the  purchase  of 
such  a  work,  if  it  be  really  what  it  imports  to  be :  nor  will  such 
a  bar  to  the  purchase  occur,  I  am  persuaded,  provided  the  case 
be  satisfactorily  made  out." 

The  intrinsic  value  of  this  treasure  may  be  inferred 
from  the  large  sum  which  was  at  length  determined 
upon  as  a  fair  remuneration  for  the  labour  bestowed 
upon  its  execution,  amounting  to  upwards  of  one  thou- 
sand pounds. 

The  failure  of  Mr.  Jowett's  health  compelled  him  to 
return  to  England  at  the  close  of  the  year  1820.  Ex- 
tracts from  his  journals  had  been  made  public  from 
time  to  time  ;  but  during  this  temporary  residence  at 
home  he  compiled  and  arranged  his  multifarious  ma- 
terials for  a  volume,  which  Mr.  Pratt  edited,  under 
the  title  of  "  Christian  Researches  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean :"  it  was  published  early  in  1822.  In  this  volume 
an  outline  is  given  of  the  condition  of  the  various 
bodies  of  men  connected  with  the  Mediterranean, 
according  to  their  respective  religious  professions,  as 
Christians,  Jews,  and  Mahomedans ;  and  measures 
are  suggested  for  the  prosecution  of  the  great  pur- 
poses of  the  Society. 

"  The  result  of  this  visit  to  the  Mediterranean,"  writes  Mr. 
Pratt,  "  has  justified  the  expectation  which  the  Committee  had 


1822.]  "  CHRISTIAN  RESEARCHES."  185 

formed  of  its  probable  utility.  Besides  many  incidental  benefits, 
arising  from  measures  taken  by  Mr.  Jowett  or  other  friends 
of  the  Society,  and  now  in  successful  progress,  the  Committee 
are  in  possession  of  materials  which  will  enable  them  with 
greater  precision  to  choose  their  future  path,  and  by  which  the 
minds  of  British  Christians  may  be  excited  to  survey  with 
increasing  interest  the  varied  tribes  and  nations  connected  with 
these  internal  seas." 

The  appearance  of  this  volume,  containing  the  re- 
sults of  Mr.  Jowett's  observations  during  his  journeys, 
and  also  the  journal  of  Mr.  Connor  to  Syria,  may  be 
considered  as  forming  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Mediterranean  Mission.  It  was  the  first-fruit  of  their 
labours  visible  to  the  public  at  large  ;  and  its  publi- 
cation seemed  to  arouse  the  attention  of  many  in 
Europe  and  in  America  to  scenes  long  held  in  almost 
religious  reverence,  but  of  the  real  condition  of  which 
little  had  hitherto  been  known. 

"  The  notice,"  writes  Mr.  Pratt  to  the  author,  "  taken  of 
your  '  Researches'  in  some  periodical  works,  and  to  he  taken  in 
others,  will  shew  you  that  the  line  on  which  you  have  entered 
may  be  pursued  to  the  gratification  of  the  learned  and  religious 
of  our  land." — And  on  another  occasion  he  adds  :  "  A  friend 
in  America,  to  whom  we  sent  the  '  Researches,'  writes — '  I  re- 
turn my  most  hearty  thanks.  No  similar  work  has  ever  made 
such  deep  impression  on  my  mind  and  heart  as  this :  I  feel 
my  soul  expand,  and  seem  to  realize  the  latter-day  glory.'  So 
go  on  with  courage,  as  you  see  that  others,  far  and  wide,  are 
deriving  good  from  your  toil." 

In  1822  Mr.  Jowett  returned  with  his  family  to 
Malta.     The  five  years  already  spent  in  the  Mediter- 


186  PRINTING  ESTABLISHMENT.  [Chap.  XI. 

ranean  had  given   him   a  thorough   insight  into  the 
character  of  his  work. 

"  You  are  now  better  acquainted  than  before,"  writes  Mr.  Pratt 
to  him,  "  with  what  will  promote  our  great  end.  It  seems 
to  me  that  your  great  business  will  be  to  gather  up  facts  and 
opinions ;  first,  by  conversation  with  all  who  come  to  JNIalta, 
and  with  all  whom  you  can  visit  all  around  the  Mediterranean ; 
and,  secondly,  by  correspondence,  to  do  the  same. 

"A  journey  of  your  own  through  Syria  and  Palestine,  keep- 
inff  the  Jews  in  view,  wovdd  be  fruitful  of  use  and  interest."* 

Peculiar  facilities  now  presented  themselves  for 
carrying  out  the  Society's  plans  for  a  Printing  Esta- 
blishment, which  was  set  up  in  Malta  in  1822.  Some 
delay  had  occurred  in  commencing  this  part  of  the 
Missionary  machinery  proposed  in  the  original  In- 
structions :  but  the  difficulties  being  overcome,  this 
department  of  labour  became,  so  long  as  it  was  de- 
sirable to  continue  it,  an  instrument  of  great  utility 
to  the  Mediterranean  Mission.! 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Jowett's  return,  the  countries  of 
the  INIediterranean  north-east  of  Malta  were  agitated 
by  threatening  war  between  the  Russians  and  Turks, 


*  This  suggestion  led  subsequently  to  Mr.  Jowett's  visiting  Jerusalcii), 
&c.,  in  102.'3,  1824  ;  the  results  of  his  tour  being  given  to  the  public  in  a 
second  volume,  intituled  "  Christian  Researches  in  Syria  and  the  Holy 
Land." 

t  The  operations  of  the  Malta  Printing  press  proved  afterwards  of  very 
gi-eat  extent,  under  the  superintendence  successively  of  Mr.  Jowett  and 
the  Rev.  ('.  F.  Schlicnz.  Religious  Tracts  and  Books  were  printed  and 
largely  circulated  around  the  Mediterranean  in  tlic  Italian,  Modern  Greek, 
Arabic,  Maltese,  and  Abyssinian  languages.  Reports  of  these  productions 
may  be  fimnd  in  tlie  volumes  of  the  "  Church  Missionary  Record." 


1822.]  THE  GREEK  WAK.  187 

while  the  Greeks,  as  a  nation,  were  struggling  for  in- 
dependence. Some  parts  of  those  regions  which  he 
had  examined  and  described  in  his  volume  of  "  Re- 
searches" had  experienced  an  awful  change  since  his 
visit.  "  At  Scio,  for  example,"  writes  Mr.  Pratt, 
"  the  fine  city  which  he  beheld  in  1818  is  become  a 
heap  of  ruins ;  the  learned  Professors  and  Bishop, 
with  whom  he  took  instructive  counsel,  are  driven 
into  corners ;  and  the  acute  and  eager  students  mur- 
dered, or  scattered  to  the  winds." 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1822,  Mr.  Pratt  remarks  :— 

"  What  will  be  the  course  of  the  Divine  Hand  in  reference 
to  the  scene  of  your  labours,  cannot  yet  be  seen.  The  visita- 
tion is  cU-eaclful  for  the  Greeks ;  and  is,  to  all  appearance, 
hkely  to  continue  so.  May  they  hear  the  rod,  and  Him  that 
hath  appointed  it ! 

"  In  the  meantime,  the  sphere,  as  a  sphere  of  preparatory 
Christian  labour,  becomes  even  more  interesting  from  the  un- 
certainty of  God's  method  and  time  of  reviving  the  Churches, 
coupled  with  the  certainty  that  He  will  do  it,  and  that  our 
labours  to  hasten  the  day  will  be  accepted  and  blessed  by  Him. 
May  we  all  have  grace  to  toil,  and  to  wait,  and  to  suffer,  if  that 
be  His  will,  in  this  spirit." 

"  The  Divine  visitations,"  he  writes  on  another  occasion,  with 
reference  to  the  condition  of  Turkey  and  Greece,  "  are  indeed 
signally  manifest.  The  Turkish  Empire,  the  stronghold  of  the 
Mahomedan  antichrist,  is  shaken  to  its  foundations.  The  bold 
and  persevering  resistance  of  its  oppressed  subjects,  which  led 
to  the  desolation  [of  Scio],  and  the  fierce  conflicts  of  party  and 
faction  in  the  capital,  indicate  the  rapid  growth  of  internal  dis- 
organization ;  while  the  successes  of  its  enemies  on  its  eastern 
border,  the  equivocal  allegiance  of  the  Pasha  of  Egypt,  and 
the  watchful  though  smothered  indignation  of  the  great  powers 


188  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

on  its  northern  and  western  frontier,  are  all  atklitional  symptoms 
of  the  approach  of  that  ruin,  which  has  long  been  preparing  for 
this  main  support  of  the  delusions  of  the  false  prophet :  delu- 
sions by  which  the  god  of  this  world  has,  for  twelve  hundred 
years,  blinded  the  eyes  and  besotted  the  hearts  of  countless 
millions  of  mankind." 

During  his  visit  in  England,  Mr.  Jowett  had  car- 
ried through  the  Press,  as  a  first  experiment,  a  Ver- 
sion of  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  in  the  Maltese  language. 
On  his  return  to  IVIalta,  this  work  was  circulated 
among  such  persons  as  were  willing  to  accept  it. 
Difficulties,  however,  speedily  arose  on  this  occasion  ; 
to  which  he  thus  adverts  in  a  communication  to  his 
brother-in-law : — "  If  I  am  not  much  mistaken,  there  is 
a  party  at  work  at  Rome,  against  the  good  doing  in 
Malta."  Mr.  Pratt  immediately  replied,  ^^  Never  mind 
Rome  :  we  will  use  all  prudence,  but  not  be  afraid." 

These  apprehensions,  however,  were  not  without 
foundation  ;  for  a  strong  remonstrance  was  soon  after 
laid  before  the  British  Authorities  by  the  Romish  Arch- 
bishop of  Malta,  protesting  against  the  circulation  of 
the  Maltese  Gospel  which  Mr.  Jowett  had  translated, 
and  also  against  the  efforts  which  were  being  made 
for  the  general  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  through 
the  islands  and  along  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean. 
Much  firmness  and  good  judgment  were  needed  at 
this  crisis.  The  following  communication  will  shew 
both  the  nature  of  the  difficulties  then  felt,  and  the 
principles  by  which  the  Society  was  guided. 

The  position  taken  by  Mr.  Jowett,  at  the  first  open- 
ing of  the   question,   will   be  seen  by  the  following 


1813.]  ROMISH  OPPOSITION.  IRt) 

extract  from  his  letter  to  the  Chief  Secretary  to  Go- 
vernment in  Malta.  He  wrote  from  Valetta,  April  19, 
1823,  as  follows: — 

"  That  opposition  should  be  manifested  to  the  free  circula- 
tion of  the  Scriptures — an  undertaking  which  has  Truth  for  its 
basis,  and  the  purest  Charity  for  its  principle  of  operation — is 
no  new  fact.  But  tliat  such  opposition  should  prefer  a  claim 
to  the  sanction  of  a  British  Government,  is  indeed  a  matter  of 
the  £fi-avest  concern :  from  which  relief  is  to  be  found  solely 
in  the  persuasion,  that  this  remarkable  step  may,  under  Divine 
Providence,  contribute  eventually  to  the  recognising  of  the  un- 
restricted use  of  the  Bible,  as  the  unalienable  privilege  of  every 
individual  of  the  human  race." 

The  question  having  been  referred  to  the  Com- 
mittee at  home,  the  following  correspondence  took 
place,  adjusting  the  subject  for  the  time  being  : — 

"  Your  last  letters,"  writes  Mr.  Pratt,  July  1, 1823,  "  have  ap- 
prised us  of  what  had  passed  between  you  and  the  Government 
of  Malta  relative  to  the  Maltese  Gospels  and  the  Malta  Bible 
Society  :  we  were  prepared  to  hear  something  further  on  the 
subject  from  our  Government  at  home.  Earl  Bathurst  having 
accordingly  intimated  a  wish  to  see  me  and  some  of  our  Vice- 
Presidents,  Mr.  Wilberforce,  Mr.  Buxton,  and  Mr.  Evans, 
with  myself,  formed  a  deputation  for  that  purpose.  His  Lord- 
ship stated  that  he  had  received  communications  from  Malta  on 
which  he  wished  to  confer  with  us,  and  then  read  a  copy  of  the 
Archbishop's  letter  to  the  Maltese  Government,  and  a  copy  of 
your  letter.  He  had  a  copy  of  the  jNIaltese  Gospels  before  him. 
His  Lordship  stated  that  he  understood  the  Schools  were  going 
on  well,  and  that  the  Roman  Catholics  sent  their  children  to  them, 
but  that  they  would  be  likely  to  withdraw  them  unless  their  pre- 
sent dissatisfaction  were  allayed :  that  Government  was  under 


190  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Ciiap.  XI. 

some  difficulties  ;  because  the  Roman  Catholics,  from  witnessing 
the  protection  and  advantages  granted  to  the  different  Societies, 
entertained  the  opinion,  that,  in  reality,  the  acts  of  these  So- 
cieties were  the  acts  of  Government.     This  laid  Government  un- 
der a  difficulty :  they  were  anxious  to  afford  every  protection  and 
assistance,  while  they  wished  to  give  no  just  ground  of  complaint. 
I  then  entered  into  a  brief  statement  of  the  origin  of  the  Malta 
Translation,  the  means  by  which  it  had  been  begun  and  was 
now  prosecuted,  and  the  probable  uses  of  the  Translation  with 
reference  to  North  Africa ;  and  told  his  Lordship  that  you  had 
not  dispersed  the  copies  of  St.  John's  Gospel  generally,  but 
rather  with  a  view  to  obtain  critical  opinions,  as  you  were  aware 
that  the  work  was  susceptible  of  improvement,  and  had  recently 
obtained   assistance  which   would  enable  you  to    improve   it 
greatly :  and  that  therefore,  saving  the  principle  of  our  right, 
under  all  suitable  circumstances,  to  distribute  freely  the  Word 
of  God,    tliere  would  be  no  difficulty  in   the   present  case  in 
meeting  his  Lordship's   wishes.     His  Lordship  said,  that  he 
had  for  that  very  reason  sent  for  us,  because  he  rather  wished 
any  intimations  or  regulations  on  the  subject  to  come  from  the 
Society,  than  from  the  Government.     I  put  the  case  of  Greek 
Christians  and  members  of  other  Churches,  not  Roman  Catho- 
lic, resident  in  Malta,  and  visiting  Malta :  his  Lordship  said 
that  we  had  an  undoubted  right  to  distribute   the  Scriptures 
freely  to  them,  without  any  authority  on  the  part  of  the  Roman 
Catholics  to  interfere.     The  other  members  of  the  deputation 
asserted  the  principle  of  the  right  of  free  distribution,  unless 
under  any  local  and  peculiar  restrictions  :  but  the  actual  amount 
of  the  restriction  that  might  be  claimed  by  the  Roman  Catho- 
lics, under  the  convention  by  which  we  hold  Malta,  was  not 
entered  into,  as  it  was  not  intended,  in  either  case,  to  insist  on 
the  mere  right  of  the  case,  but  to  accommodate  the  matter,  with 
a  full  reservation,  however,  of  the  general  principle." 

Two  months  later  he  writes  again  to  Mr.  Jowett : — 


1823.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  191 

"My  last  will  have  anticipated,  in  a  considerable  degree,  the 
inquiries,  in  yours  of  May  21,  relative  to  your  course  as  to  the 
Maltese.  Go  on,  perfecting  it  by  every  means  in  your  power. 
Be  not  anxious  about  the  issue  :  leave  that  to  God.  That 
the  Maltese  will  have  the  Scriptures,  there  is  no  doubt :  let  us 
do  what  we  can  to  prepare  them,  that  when  the  free  use  of 
them  is  granted — (and  granted  it  will  be  to  every  human  being) 
— we  may  not  then  have  to  prepare  them."  * 

One  more  brief  extract  shall  be  added  from  Mr. 
Pratt's  correspondence  relative  to  the  Mediterranean 
Mission.  It  refers  to  one  of  the  most  active  labourers 
of  the  Society  in  that  field,  the  late  Rev.  John  Hartley. 
He  writes  to  Mr.  Jowett  under  date  of  August  the  1st, 
1826:— 

"You  will  see,  by  the  'Missionary  Register'  for  June  and 
July,  and  particularly  the  last,  that  I  have  endeavoured  to 
select  the  Mediterranean  Proceedings  in  such  a  manner,  as  to 
give  less  of  a  colouring  of  controversy  to  them,  than  would 
appear  from  the  mass  of  Mr.  Hartley's  despatches.  I  have  slid 
in  your  hints  to  him  sideways.  There  is  much  truth  in  what 
he  says,  of  the  necessity  of  being  well  furnished  on  the  topics, 
both  with  knowledge  and  with  suitable  books  ;  but  the  main 
attack  must  be  on  the  conscience  and  the  heart :  and,  as  it 
seems  to  me,  the  worship  of  images,  the  mediation  of  saints,  the 
idolizing  of  the  Virgin,  and  other  grievous  errors,  should  be 
presented  to  a  mind,  previously  awakened  by  the  Divine  bless- 


*  It  is  jiropcr  to  notice  here,  that  six  years  after,  a  better  version  of  the 
Four  Gospels  and  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  in  Maltese  havin";  l)een  ob- 
tained, they  were  printed,  together  with  the  Latin  ^'u]gate,  in  parallel 
columns,  and  taken  to  Malta  by  Mr.  Jowett  on  his  third  return  thither, 
in  1829.  Subsequently  the  whole  New  Testament  in  Maltese  lias  been 
printed,  under  the  patronage  of  the  ( )riental  Translation  Conmiittee  of 
the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge. 


192  MEDITERRANEAN  MISSION.  [Chap.  XI. 

ing  on  tlie  close  pushing  home  of  the  Law  and  the  Go  spel ; 
and  prepared,  therefore,  to  feel  the  weakness  and  fatility  of  all 
such  resources." 

In  the  year  1829  Mr.  Pratt  delivered  for  a  third 
time  the  Instructions  to  Mr.  Jowett,  then  proceeding 
alone  to  Malta.  He  had  some  years  previously  to 
that  date,  as  will  presently  be  seen,  relinquished  the 
office  of  Secretary,  but  as  Chairman  of  the  Committee 
of  Correspondence,  he  still  took  some  active  part  in 
the  affairs  of  the  Society.  He  availed  himself  of  the 
opportunity,  to  take  an  exact  and  comprehensive  view 
of  the  Mediterranean  Mission  up  to  that  period. 
These  Instructions  are  given  at  length  in  the  "  Mis- 
sionary Register"  for  September,  1829. 

The  proceedings  in  that  sphere  of  labour,  after 
this  period,  belong  rather  to  the  history  of  the 
Society  than  to  a  Memoir  of  Mr.  Pratt.  It  may  be 
not  inexpedient,  however,  to  close  this  Chapter 
with  a  brief  notice  of  the  present  posture  of  that 
Mission. 

The  frank  reception  given  to  the  Bible  Society's 
first  edition  of  the  Modern  Greek  Testament  by  the 
Patriarch  of  Constantinople  in  1814,  and  other  ''  signs 
of  the  times,"  encouraged  the  hope  that  the  plenary 
light  of  the  Scriptures,  poured  in  upon  the  Syrian, 
the  Greek,  and  other  Eastern  Churches,  would  tend 
to  their  purification  from  error.  This  anticipation 
will  in  the  event,  no  doubt,  prove  true ;  in  part  it 
has  been  effectuated :  and  it  is  remarkable  that  in 
the  prosecution  of  intercourse  with  those  Churches, 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the  vernacular 


1830.]  ITS  PECULIAR  DIFFICULTIES.  193 

tongues  has  constantly  been  advancing.  Difficulties, 
however,  of  a  peculiar  kind  have  been  found,  on 
investigation,  to  lie  in  the  way  of  beneficial  intercourse 
with  corrupt  Churches.  These  difficulties  are  thus 
stated  by  Mr.  Jowett  as  it  regards  the  Mediterranean, 
and  his  statements  are  mostly  true  of  another  sphere 
which  will  be  noticed  in  the  next  Chapter : — 

"  The  members  of  the  Oriental  Churches  are,  as  a  mass, 
sunk  in  deep  ignorance.  And  yet  they  are  self-satisfied. 
They  meet  a  Missionary  with  these  replies — '  We  have  the 
Gospel :  we  have  the  Books  ;  they  were  written  in  our  country, 
and  some  of  them  in  our  language  :  we  have  our  Fathers,  our 
Councils,  our  Worship,  our  primitive  Customs :  all  the  grace 
that  is  implied  in  the  administration  of  the  Sacraments,  and 
the  succession  of  the  Priesthood,  we  possess  as  much  as  you, 
or  probably  even  more.'     In  a  word,  they  say,  '  We  see.' 

"  There  is,  moreover,  a  deep  tinge  of  Infidelity  in  the  few 
educated  persons,  and  in  the  many  worldly  men  of  enterprise : 
consequently,  if  they  conform  to  what  they  deem  superstitions, 
there  must  be  in  them  a  corresponding  amount  of  Hypocrisy ; 
or  Formalism  closely  bordering  on  it. — And  hence  there  is  a 
depraving  and  debasing  system  of  cozenage  perpetually  going 
on  between  the  Deceiver  and  the  Deceived. 

"  The  more  ignorant  and  superstitious  portion,  on  the  other 
hand,  receive  our  approaches  with  suspicion ;  for  however 
much  they  may  admire  and  envy  our  freedom,  they  suppose  it 
to  be  necessarily  connected  with  that  unbounded  licence  which 
tends  to  infidel  Free  thinking. 

"  Further,  there  is  such  a  grinding  system  of  civil  and  politi- 
cal tyranny  constantly  hanging  over  their  heads,  that,  did  they 
even  wish  to  think  and  act  freely,  they  would  not  know  how." 

In  short,  the  attempt  to  promote  a  revival  in  the 
Oriental  Churches,  and  through  them  to  influence  the 


194  NORTH  AFRICA.  [Chap.  XI. 

siirroimding  regions,  has  not  hitherto  succeeded :  and 
the  Committee  of  the  Church  Missiouciry  Society 
entertain  grave  doubts,  whether  this  attempt  to  influ- 
ence the  Oriental  Churches  be  any  longer  a  work 
within  their  province.  It  may  probably  be  prosecuted 
with  better  effect  by  our  Protestant  Episcopacy,  which 
has  now  entered  the  field. 

Meanwhile  a  Greek  Mission,  an  Asia-Minor  Mission, 
an  Egyptian,  and  another  in  Eastern  Africa,  are  main- 
tained. The  direct  appeal  to  the  Mahomedans  is 
being  prosecuted,  while  no  opportunity  is  neglected  of 
benefitting  the  members  of  the  Christian  Churches. 
A  Mission  to  North  Africa  was  contemplated  by  Mr. 
Pratt  in  his  Instructions  to  Mr.  Jowett  in  1829 :  the 
following  passage  sets  the  subject  in  a  strong  point  of 
view  : — 

"Of  the  four  great  continents  of  the  globe,  Africa  is  the 
lowest  in  the  scale ;  and  of  the  four  quarters  of  this  Continent, 
the  Northern  is  the  lowest  in  respect  of  Christian  and  moral  ad- 
vantages. On  the  Eastern  side,  through  Egypt  and  Abyssinia, 
somewhat  seems  likely  to  be  accomplished:  on  the  Western, 
the  labours  of  Christian  Missionaries  have  not  been  in  vain  in 
the  Lord :  on  the  South,  at  the  Cape,  there  has  long  been  a 
nucleus  of  growing  civilization  and  Christianity  ;  but,  on  the 
North,  there  arc  these  ten  great  evils,  all  in  operation,  almost 
without  any  counteracting  influence  :  Mahomedanism — Pagan- 
ism— Barbarism — Habitual  Wars— Slavery — Almost  impene- 
trable Deserts — unknown  Languages  — the  want  of  Ancient  and 
Modern  History,  or  accounts  of  Travellers,  to  guide  our  steps 
— dangerous  Climates — and,  want  of  a  British  footing,  nay, 
even  of  a  European  footing,  a  single  step  beyond  the  regencies 
of  Trij)oli,  Tunis,  Algiers,  and  Morocco. 


1830.]  NORTH  AFRICA.  19.5 

"  The  language  of  the  people  [of  these  regions,  Mr.  Pratt 
adds]  has  attracted  attention,  and  progress  is  making  in  the 
acquisition  of  this  tongue.*  It  will,  of  course,  be  one  of  your 
first  objects  in  visiting  North  Africa,  should  you  have  it  in  your 
power  to  do  so,  to  acquire  the  most  accurate  information  on 
this  point ;  and  to  make  the  best  provision  for  furthering  a 
plan  of  this  nature,  should  the  Society  be  hereafter  in  a  condi- 
tion, with  respect  both  to  Funds  and  Labourers,  to  follow  up 
such  a  plan." 

This,  it  will  be  observed,  is  a  description  only  of 
difficulties.  It  was  arranged  at  this  time  that  Mr. 
Jowett  should  visit  Algiers,  and  go  on  southward  to 
Gadarmis  :  the  plan,  however,  was  totally  frustrated 
by  the  occupation  of  Algiers  by  the  French  in  1830 ; 
and  at  the  close  of  that  year  he  finally  quitted  the 
Mediterranean,  in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  his 
health. 

It  remains  to  be  seen,  in  what  way  objects  so  great 
and  important  will  be  taken  up  by  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  or  by  some  other  competent  body. 
Let  the  cry  of  these  nations  enter  into  our  ears :  and 
may  the  Spirit  of  God  shew  to  Christians,  what  is  their 
proper  course  of  duty  in  this  matter ;  and  strengthen 
them  to  pursue  that  course ! 


*  Reference  is  here  made  to  a  Version  of  the  Four  Gospels  and  the 
Book  of  Genesis  in  the  Berber  Dialect,  purchased  by  the  Bible  Society 
in  1830.  But  no  learned  person  has  yet  been  found,  competent  to  render 
the  work  available. 


o:^ 


CHAPTER  XII. 

1818—1824. 

PROGRESS    OF    THE  WEST-AFRICA  MISSION — DREAOPUL   SICKNESS  AND  MOR- 
TALITY AMONG  THE    MISSIONARIES — SUCCESS  AT  LENGTH  VOUCHSAFED  — 

MR.  Johnson's  labours  abundantly  blessed — more  missionaries 

SENT    out  to  INDIA THE    SYRIAN    CHURCH — MISSIONARIKS    SENT    WITH 

A  VIEW  TO  ITS  REVIVAL — CHEERING    PROSPECTS  IN  THE  SOUTH  OP  INDIA 

AGRA CHUNAR — BENARES— BURDWAN  KRISHNAGHUR FEMALE 

EDUCATION  —  DEATH  OF  BISHOP  MIDDLETON,  AND  APPOINTMENT  OP 
BISHOP  HEBER — DIFFICULTIES  IN  THE  NEW-ZEALAND  MISSION — CORRE- 
SPONDENCE WITH  MISSIONARIES  — MR.  PRATT  RESIGNS  THE  SECRETARY- 
SHIP. 

During  the  latter  years  of  Mr.  Pratt's  connection 
with  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  he  had  the 
happiness  of  seeing  some  brightening  symptoms. 
God  was  beginning  to  pour  out  an  abundant  bless- 
ing upon  the  labours  of  His  faithful  servants.  We 
will  now  glance  at  the  progress  made  in  each  of 
the  three  chief  Missionary  fields  of  the  Society's 
operations,  from  the  beginning  of  the  year  1818  to 
the  spring  of  1824,  when  he  resigned  the  office  of 
Secretary. 

In  West  Africa  death  was  still,  as  formerly,  making 


1818—1824.]  WEST-AFRICA  MISSION.  197 

fearful  inroads  amongst  the  labourers.  During  the 
period  under  notice,  sixteen  European  Missionaries 
and  Catechists  went  out  to  those  unhealthy  shores : 
of  whom,  with'm  that  interval,  eight  fell  a  sacrifice  to 
the  climate,  besides  six  of  their  older  companions, 
and  several  of  their  wives  ;  so  dreadful  was  the  mor- 
tality !  Up  to  the  spring  of  1824,  at  which  time  the 
West-Africa  Mission  had  been  established  twenty  years, 
the  Society  had  sent  thither  thirty-eight  European  Mis- 
sionaries, Catechists,  and  Schoolmasters ;  of  whom,  at 
that  date,  twenty-five  were  dead,  three  had  retired, 
and  ten  only,  exclusive  of  the  females,  were  in  the 
field. 

This  was  a  sacrifice  which  did  honour  to  the  zeal 
and  Christian  courage  of  the  devoted  men,  who 
"hazarded  their  lives  for  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus."  But  it  was  one  which  occasioned  Mr.  Pratt 
great  disquietude,  and  weighed  with  an  almost  in- 
tolerable load  upon  his  anxious  mind.  Several  times 
was  the  question  discussed,  whether  it  was  right  to 
continue  the  Mission  under  circumstances  so  perilous. 
Yet  as  long  as  men  were  found  willing,  with  a  full 
knowledge  of  the  dangers  before  them,  to  adventure 
themselves  for  the  love  of  Christ  and  the  souls  He 
had  purchased  by  His  blood,  it  seemed  a  duty  to  main- 
tain their  efforts,  and  to  encourage  these  noble-minded 
servants  of  the  Lord  to  persevere  in  their  high  and 
holy  undertaking  ;  especially  as  the  fields  appeared  to 
be  now  more  than  ever  ripe  unto  the  harvest.  It  is 
worthy  of  observation,  that  when  success  during  this 


198 


GREAT  MORTALITY. 


[Chap.  XII. 


period  was  tlie  most  marked,  death  raged  with   its 
greatest  fury* 

Within  a  year  and  a  half  after  the  arrival  of  Mr. 
Johnson,  his  church  had  several  times  been  enlarged. 


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]S18— 1824.]  SUCCESS  OF  MR.  JOHNSON.  I99 

that  it  miglit  accommodate  the  continually  growing 
number  of  converts.  At  this  time  he  had  as  many  as 
100  communicants.  A  year  and  a  half  later — in  June, 
1819 — he  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  compelled  to  visit 
Europe  for  a  season  ;  but, "  so  mightily  grew  the  Word 
of  God  and  prevailed"  in  this  short  interval,  that  before 
leaving  Regent's  Town  he  administered  the  Lord's 
Supper  to  253  native  converts,  nearly  all  of  whom  were 
the  fruits  of  his  own  ministry.  The  population  of 
Regent's  Town  was  at  that  time  about  1550.  Some 
remarkable  instances  of  the  power  of  Divine  grace 
are  given  in  the  "Missionary  Register"  for  1823,  pp. 
307 — 326.  But  the  faithful  labourer  whose  ministry 
was  thus  blessed,  w-as  among  those  who  were  cut  off 
by  death  in  1823.  The  population  of  his  parish  then 
amounted  to  more  than  2000  souls ;  his  scholars — men, 
women,  and  children — to  1052  ;  and  his  communicants 
to  450.  A  similar  good  work  was  likewise  going  on 
in  other  parishes  of  the  colony,  though  not  to  the 
same  extent. 

It  was  to  Mr.  Pratt  a  welcome  reward  of  his  long 
and  persevering  labours,  on  the  eve  of  dissolving  his 
active  connection  with  the  Society,  to  receive  such 
tidings.  Long  had  darkness  seemed  to  brood  over 
this  unpromising  Mission,  wdth  scarcely  a  gleam  of 
hope  in  the  horizon.  But  faith  persevered :  prayer 
was  quickened :  patience  had  its  perfect  work :  and 
God  at  length  caused  the  day-star  to  appear. 

In  1824,  when  he  retired,  he  could  report,  that 
of  the  16,000  Liberated  Africans  then  in  the  colony, 
the  great    proportion    had    renounced  their  heathen 


200  INDIA  MISSION.  [Chap.  XII. 

superstitions ;  that  more  than  one-fifth  of  them  were 
under  instruction  in  schools ;  and  nearly  700  were 
walking  as  intelligent  and  consistent  Christians,  in  full 
communion  with  the  Church  of  Christ.* 

And  he  lived  long  enough  to  hear — twenty  years 
later — of  these  numbers  being  vastly  multiplied  ;  and 
to  see  with  his  own  eyes  the  first-fruits  of  a  Native 
Christian  Ministry,  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Crowther,  one  of  the  Liberated  Africans.  Mr.  Crow- 
ther,  after  having  been  first  trained  in  the  Mission 
Schools,  and  then  in  the  Society's  Institution  at  Isling- 
ton, was  examined  and  ordained  by  the  Bishop  of 
London,  as  a  Missionary  of  the  Church  of  England  to 
his  own  benighted  countrymen. 

The  good  work  was  also  beginning  to  strike  its  roots 
deeper  in  India. 

During  the  period  under  notice,  fifteen  additional 
Missionaries  were  sent  to  the  East,  including  three 
for  Ceylon;  and  the  chief  Missions  now  in  operation, 
with  one  exception,  were  then  planted. 

An  apparently  promising  field  of  labour  was  pre- 
sented about  this  time  in  the  independent  kingdom 
of  Travancore,  on  the  western  coast  of  Hindostan. 
Colonel  Munro,  then  British  Resident  at  the  native 
Court,  first  called  the  attention  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  to  the  importance  of  attempting  to  revive 
the  ancient  branch  of  the  Syrian  Church  which  had 
long  been  in  existence  in  those  parts.     Dr.  Buchanan 


*  At  Easter,  1823,  the  scholars  throughout  the  colony  were  3623,  and 
the  native  communicants  (580,  out  of  a  population  of  about  16,000. 


1817—1818.]  THE  SYRIAN  CHURCH.  201 

had  at  an  earlier  date  visited  it,  and  had  awakened 
a  lively  interest  in  its  behalf  by  the  notices  of  it  in  his 
"  Christian  Researches." 

This  was  another  instance  in  which  enlarged  hope 
was  entertained,  of  being  instrumental  in  raising  the 
tone  and  zeal  of  an  ancient  but  decayed  Church. 
Still  it  was  the  ultimate  effect  which  the  revival  of 
this  Church  would  probably  have  upon  the  heathen 
around,  that  presented  the  most  powerful  motive  for 
attempting  it.  Such  was  Mr.  Pratt's  view.  In  writing 
to  a  friend  upon  the  subject,  he  thus  expresses  him- 
self:— 

"  Strictly  speaking,  the  great  and  sole  object  of  the  So- 
ciety's care  is  the  Heathen  World — the  communication  of 
Christianity  to  that  part  of  the  world  which  is  not  Christian. 
Its  attempts  to  revive  religion  in  any  of  the  Ancient  Christian 
Churches,  are  connected  with  its  great  object  by  the  pro- 
bable influence  of  such  revivals  on  the  Unchristian  world; 
and  in  this  point  of  view  only  can  it  legitimately  expend  its 
resources  on  such  an  object." 

And  in  writing  to  the  Missionaries  who  were  thus 
engaged,  he  seems  to  point  to  this  as  the  ultimate 
end  which  they  should  keep  in  view  : — 

"  May  God  our  Saviour  bless  you  every  one,  and  your  wives, 
and  all  the  children  whom  He  may  give  you ;  and  raise  up, 
under  your  affectionate  and  patient  toil,  the  Ancient  Church  of 
the  Syrians  to  be  a  name  and  a  praise  to  Him  through  all  the 
region  where  you  dwell !" 

Colonel  Munro  had  represented  to  the  Ranee  (or 
Queen)  then  ruling  in  Travancore,  that  it  would  be 
greatly  for  the  advantage  of  her  subjects  of  the  Syrian 


2(j2  the  SYRIAN  CHURCH.  [Chap.  XH. 

Church,  if  she  would  encourage  the  erection  of  a 
College  for  the  education  of  their  catanars  (or  priests). 
To  this  benevolent  work  she  gave  her  willing  assent, 
and  the  building  was  erected  at  Cotym  (or  Cotyam)  in 
1817.  The  Ranee  contributed  more  than  2000/.  for  the 
endowment  of  the  Institution,  besides  annexing  to  it  a 
tract  of  land  at  least  seven  miles  in  circumference.  In 
1817  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Bailey,  whose  arrival  in  India 
has  been  already  mentioned,  proceeded  to  Cotyam  ; 
and  was  joined  in  1818  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Fenn, 
and  in  1819  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Baker.  The  Rev. 
Thomas  Norton  was  established  at  AUepie,  on  the 
coast.  Mr.  Dawson  was  driven  home  by  illness  soon 
after  his  arrival. 

The  plan  of  the  Society  was,  not  to  attempt  to  bring 
over  the  Syrian  Christians  to  the  Church  of  England, 
but  to  efTect  a  revival  of  evangelical  doctrine  and 
Scriptural  truth  in  the  Syrian  Church  itself:  —  to 
begin  with  the  teachers  of  the  people  by  instructing 
them  in  the  Syriac  language,  in  which  their  Liturgy 
was  written,  and  of  which  they  were  sadly  ignorant ; 
but,  above  all,  by  giving  them  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  Word  of  God,  and  thus  endeavouring  to  infuse 
into  their  hearts  an  earnest  desire  for  the  revival  of 
true  religion  among  their  own  people. 

These  plans  were  proposed  and  entered  upon  with 
the  full  concurrence  and  hearty  co-operation  of  the 
Metran  who  was  then  at  the  head  of  the  Malabar 
Church,  and  also  of  his  two  successors,  who  manifested 
an  anxiety  for  the  welfare  and  improvement  of  their 
people.     They  not  only  hailed  the  opportunity  pre- 


1819.]  THE  SYRIAN  CHURCH.  203 

sented  for  the  education  of  their  ministers  in  the 
College  which  the  government  of  the  country  had 
erected,  but  they  invited  the  Missionaries  to  make 
the  tour  of  their  Churches,  and  to  awaken  both  priests 
and  people  by  preaching  the  Gospel  from  their 
pulpits. 

The  prospect  of  success  was  at  first  very  encou- 
raging. Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  the  Rev.  Joseph  Fenn, 
May  27, 1819  :— 

'"  Your  report  of  the  state  of  things  at  Cotym  gave  us  much 
pleasure.  We  rejoice  much  in  the  influence  which  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bailey  have  gained  among  the  Syrians.  This  affords 
great  encouragement  to  us  all.  We  remember  you  and  your 
fellow-labourers  much  in  prayer.  May  our  Heavenly  Master 
keep  you  all  in  union,  humihty,  and  patient  diligence.  You 
have  to  deal  with  adult  children,  and  your  work  will  be  toilsome 
and  your  success  slow ;  but  go  on,  dear  brother,  in  '  the  work 
of  faith,  the  patience  of  hope,  and  the  labour  of  love.'  You 
shall  meet,  if  you  faint  not,  with  multitudes  in  heaven,  who 
directly  or  remotely  will,  under  God,  owe  their  eternity  of 
happiness  to  your  labours  and  those  of  your  associates  and 
friends. 

"  We  have  had  a  visit  from  the  Syrian  Archbishop  of  Jeru- 
salem. You  will  find  some  account  of  it,  and  the  object  of  his 
journey,  in  the  '  Missionary  Register.'  We  had  much  conver- 
sation with  him  ;  and  though,  as  a  Society,  we  could  not  pro- 
perly grant  him  what  he  wanted  (the  means  of  forming  a  print- 
ing establishment  at  his  residence  on  Mount  Lebanon),  yet  we 
put  forth  a  separate  subscription  for  the  purpose,  and  the  end 
has  been  accomplished ;  and  an  intercourse  has  been  opened 
with  Syria,  which,  we  trust,  will  be  blessed  to  its  ultimate 
enlightening.  The  Archbishop  is,  1  conceive,  at  the  head  of  a 
Romish  schism  from   the  Jacobites.     He  knew  the  history  of 


204  ENCOURAGING  PROSPECTS.  [Chap.  XII. 

your  Syrians  as  far  down  as  Mar  Joseph,  but  notliing  of  Plii- 
loxenus  or  George."  *  .  .  .  . 

At  the  same  time  he  writes  to  Mr.  Bailey,  forward- 
ing him  some  periodicals : — 

"  By  these  publications  you  will  see  that  it  pleases  God  still 
to  prosper  us,  and  to  extend  His  gracious  kingdom  among  men. 
May  this  minister  comfort  and  strength  to  your  hearts  in  all 
your  own  labours  !  It  rejoices  us  much  to  learn  of  your  suc- 
cess in  translations.  Your  account  of  the  Malabar  worship 
gave  us  great  pleasure.  May  you  be  rendered  the  honoured 
instrument  of  infusing  light  and  life  into  the  fallen  Churches 
of  Travancore  !  We  pray  often  and  earnestly  for  you  all. 
*  Now  we  live,  if  ye  stand  fast  in  the  Lord  ! '  May  great  grace 
be  upon  you,  and  upon  Mrs.  Bailey,  and  your  child. 

"  I  am  grieved  to  inform  you  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dawson  have 
passed  the  winter  in  Devonshire,  with  little  benefit.  They  are 
now  on  their  way  into  Yorkshire  for  the  summer.  Unless  some 
great  change  takes  place,  I  fear  for  them  both  ;  but  most  for 
your  sister,  who  is  very  consumptive.  But  they  are  in  the 
hands  of  a  merciful  Father." 

The  commencement  and  early  progress  of  this  work 
thus  seemed  to  promise  permanent  success  in  the  great 
undertaking  which  the  Society  had  in  view, — to  send 
forth  the  Gospel  from  this  Church  as  a  bright  centre 
among  the  millions  of  heathen  covering  the  vast  con- 
tinent to  the  eastward. 

But  these  early  hopes  and  prospects,  as  has  been 
already    intimated   in    the    last   Chapter,    were    not 

*  Mar  Joseph  the  predecessor,  aud  Mar  George  the  successor  of  Mar 
Philoxenus.  They  both  assumed  the  name  of  Dionysius  on  their  conse- 
cration, and  were  the  first  and  second  of  those  mentioned  in  the  note 
following  this. 


1818—1824.]  DISAPPOINTMENT.  203 

realised — partly,  from    the  very   corrupt   and  fallen 
state  into  which  it  was  found,  upon  closer  investiga- 
tion,  the  Churches  were  sunk ;  but,  in  this  instance, 
more  immediately  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  the 
Metrans  who  were  friendly  to  the  plans  of  the  Society, 
and  the  succession  to  that  office  of  one  who  became  and 
continues  to  be  hostile  to  any  change  or  improvement."* 
The  Society  having  been  invited  to  the  country  both  by 
the  Government  and  the  Church,  and  having  been  long 
engaged  in  the  work  which  they  had  undertaken,  have 
not  felt  it  their  duty  to  retire,  now  that  an  unfriendly 
eye  has  been  directed  against  them  from  those  whom 
they  desired  to  benefit.     They  continue  at  their  post, 
with  the  full   permission   of  the  Government.     The 
character  of  their  Mission  is,  however,  altered  ;  as  they 
are  now  a  Mission  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
for  making  converts  from  the   multitudes  of  heathen 
within  the  kingdom  of  Travancore,  and  for  receiving 
and  instructing  any  inquirers  from  the  corrupt  Church 


*  As  confusion  sometimes  arises  in  the  names  of  the  Metrans,  from 
their  practice,  on  consecration,  of  assuming  the  title  of  one  of  their  prede- 
cessors (it  is  said,  of  the  twelve  first  Patriarchs  of  Antioch),  it  will  be  well 
to  mention  here  that  the  Metran  who  presided  when  the  Society  entered 
upon  its  operations  was  Dionysius.  He  died  in  Nov.  1810,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Philoxenus,  who  from  age  and  debility  retired,  and  was 
succeeded  by  another  Dionysius  in  Oct.  1817.  This  excellent  man  died  of 
cholera  May  IG,  1825,  when  the  old  Metran  Philoxenus  resumed  his 
duties,  but  was  assisted  by  a  coadjutor,  a  third  Dionysius,  wlio  became 
the  head  of  the  Church  Feb.  G,  1830,  by  the  death  of  the  vencralile  Plii- 
loxenus.  The  first  two  of  the  name  of  Dionysius,  and  also  Philoxenus, 
were  eminently  friendly  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society's  designs. 
The  third  Dionysius,  now  living,  is  not.  In  182.5  Mar  Athanasius  came 
from  Antioch,  and  attempted  to  assume  the  authority,  but  wa.s  obliged  to 
leave  the  country  after  five  months. 


.206  SOUTH-INDIA  MISSION.  [Chap.  Xll. 

of  Syria.  This  oliange  of  plan  has  met  the  full  ap- 
proval both  of  the  Bishop  of  Madras,  who  is  the  Dio- 
cesan of  the  Missionaries  labouring  in  Travancore, 
and  also  of  the  Metropolitan  of  India.  But  these  re- 
marks belong  rather  to  the  subsequent  history  of  this 
Mission :  it  may,  however,  be  observed,  that  although 
the  original  object  of  benefiting  the  Syrian  Church 
has  hitherto  failed,  considerable  success  has  been 
vouchsafed  to  the  labours  of  the  Missionaries  among 
the  heathen. 

In  the  South  of  India,  during  the  period  we  are 
reviewing,  the  work  effectually  took  root,  and  early 
gave  promise  of  the  abundant  harvest  which  has  since 
been  reaped,  and  which  is  so  plentiful  that  the  in- 
gathering still  continues. 

In  1820  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Rhenius  and  Bernhard 
Schmid  removed  from  Madras  to  Tinnevelly.  They 
were  the  first  Missionaries  of  any  Society  who  took  up 
their  residence  in  those  parts.*  In  1823  their  labours 
began  to  make  a  considerable  impression  upon  the 
natives ;  and  the  work  rapidly  spread  to  some  of  the 
distant  parts  of  the  District. 

*  Although  as  far  back  as  the  close  of  the  last  century,  we  read  of  the 
native  Catcchists  and  Ministers  under  Schwartz,  visiting  parts  of  this  dis- 
trict in  tlusir  Missionary  tours,  there  was  no  resident  Missionary  before 
Rhenius  and  Schmid :  and,  indeed,  soon  after  the  death  of  Schwartz,  in 
1798,  the  partial  work  which  his  associates  had  effected  almost  entirely 
died  away.  It  continued  in  this  depressed  state  till  .somewhat  revived  by 
the  Missionaries  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  tlie  Go.spcl  residing  at 
Tanjore.  But  it  was  not  till  Bishop  Wilson's  visitation  to  the  south  of 
India,  in  IR35,  that  arrangements  were  made,  by  placing  Missionaries  at 
Nazareth  and  Moodcloor,  in  the  district  of  Tinnevelly,  for  the  permanent 
revival  of  the  work  in  connection  with  that  Society. 


1818—1824.] 


TINNEVELLY. 


207 


And  here  we  cannot  but  call  attention  to  the  espe- 
cial manner,  in  which  the  zeal  and  abundant  prayers 
of  the  friends  of  the  Society  in  behalf  of  India,  during 
the   stirring   period   of  1812-13,  were   ultimately  re- 
warded in  the  success  of  one   of  the  first  labourers 
they  sent  forth  to  the  East,  after  India  was  thus  thrown 
open  to  the  Gospel.    This  Mission  had  to  pass  through 
the  same  phases  of  difficulty,  which  had  tried  the  faith 
both  of  labourers  and  friends  to  the  cause  in  all  their 
undertakings.     Yet  it  is  interesting  to  observe,  that  it 
was  the  indefatigable  zeal  of  Mr.  Rhenius,  in  parti- 
cular, which  gave  the  first  great  impulse  to  any  wide- 
spread movement  among  the   heathen.     And  it  was 
owing  to  the  blessing  of  God,  on  the  fostering  care  of 
those  who  entered  into  his  labours,  that  the   many 
thousands  were  brought  into  the  fold  who  now  con- 
stitute the  Society's  charge  in  that  District.    Accord- 
ing to   a  return  made  about  nine  months  after  Mr. 
Pratt's  decease,  the  number  under  Christian  instruc- 
tion were   more  than  25,000,  of  whom   nearly  10,000 
were  already  baptized.     The  Society  for  Propagating 
the  Gospel  has  met  with  similar  success :  their  num- 
bers were  nearly  14,000  under  instruction,  of  whom 
nearly  GOOO  were  baptized.* 


*  See  a  Table  appended  to  a  "Journal  of  a  Visitation  Tour,"  by  the 
Bishop  of  Madras,  in  1845.  The  returns  are  made  up  to  June  30,  1845, 
and  the  exact  numbers  stand  as  follows : — 


TiNNEVELLY. 


^  C.IM.S.Congregations 
I  S.  P.  G.      ditto 


•vT     T.     i-_  J     No.  Unbaptized 
No.  Baptized.!  „,„  i„„.iu.,i„ 


Total. 


9479 
5799 


15790 
7907 


25,269 
13,700 


209  NORTH-INDIA  MISSION.  [Chap.  XIl. 

In  North  India,  the  foundations  of  the  present  Mis- 
sions were  laid  about  the  same  time. 

At  Agra,  Abdool  Messeeh  was  continuing  his  faith- 
ful ministry,  though  under  much  discouragement  from 
the  general  indifference  and  even  bitter  opposition  of 
his  countrymen.  At  Chunar,  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Benares,  the  city  of  temples  and  citadel  of  idolatry, 
Mr.  William  Bowley,  the  Society's  Reader  and  Cate- 
chist,  laboured  with  unwearied  diligence  and  perse- 
verance, and  with  the  blessing  of  God  upon  him.  He 
was  joined  in  1819  by  the  Rev.  William  Greenwood, 
from  Calcutta. 

In  June,  1820,  Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  Mr.  Bowley 
thus : — 

"  The  impressions  made  on  the  minds  of  natives  by  the 
exertions  wliich  have  been  already  made  in  the  education  of 
youth  and  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  supply  likewise  a 
strong  stimulus  to  further  exertions. 

"  It  is  no  small  point  gained,  that  conviction  has  been  car- 
ried into  the  minds  of  natives,  that  their  own  system  is  a  false 
one :  and  it  affords  us  encouragement  to  believe  that  the  time 
is  approaching  when,  through  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  they  will  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  and 
receive  with  meekness  the  engrafted  word,  which  is  able  to 
save  their  souls." 

An  opening  was  beginning  to  appear  in  the  far- 
famed  city  of  Benares  itself,  for  the  entrance  of  the 
light  of  truth.  A  wealthy  native  established  a  Free 
School  and  endowed  it,  transferring  the  Institution  to 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  that  they  might  use  it 
for  their  own  purposes.     Not  long  after,  the  generous 


1818—18-24]  BENARES— BUKDWAN.  209 

founder  died ;  but  witliout  himself  manifesting  any 
symptoms  that  his  heart  was  influenced  by  the  truth, 
although  diligently  taught  him  by  the  exemplary  and 
beloved  Corrie.  To  this  friend  Mr.  Pratt  writes,  Feb. 
19,  1819,  on  hearing  of  his  death  : — 

"  Jay  Narain  seems  to  be  one  of  the  instruments  whom  God, 
in  His  infinite  wisdom,  appears  to  use  for  the  accomplishment 
of  His  purposes  of  mercy,  while  the  poor  man  himself  may 
perhaps  have  no  participation  in  that  good  which  he  may  be 
the  means  of  conveying  to  others." 

This  Institution  has  been  eminently  serviceable; 
and,  in  combination  with  the  constant  preaching  of 
the  indefatigable  Missionaries  in  the  bazaars,  has 
brought  about  a  very  considerable  change  of  opinion 
concerning  the  Gospel,  among  the  Brahmins  and 
Pundits  who  throng  the  so-called  holy  city.  The 
city  seems  to  be  ripe  for  a  display  of  God's  mercy : 
thousands  are  convinced  in  their  understandings,  but 
the  grace  of  God  has  yet  to  be  given  to  convert  their 
hearts.  Any  day  the  outburst  may  take  place,  and 
the  truth  have  free  course  and  be  glorified. 

In  1819,  the  beginning  which  had  been  made  at 
Burdwan,  by  the  establishment  of  schools  four  years 
previously,  was  followed  up,  and  the  INIission  fairly 
established,  by  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Jetter 
and  Deerr.  The  history  of  this  INIission  likewise 
affords  an  instructive  example  of  the  manner,  in  which 
it  sometimes  pleases  God  to  carry  on  His  work. 
Nearly  twenty  years  did  Mr.  Deerr  labour  in  the  Mis- 
sionary district  of  Burdwan,  and  latterly  at  Krishna- 
ghur  itself,  before  he  witnessed  any  visible  fruit  of  his 

p 


210  KRISHNAGHUR.  [Chap.  XII. 

labours,  or  of  those  of  his  companions.  Although 
from  time  to  time  he  had  some  evidences  that  the 
Lord  was  not  withholding  His  blessing,  it  was  not  till 
the  termination  of  that  long  interval,  that  he  was  re- 
warded by  the  remarkable  outburst  of  inquiry  which 
has  but  recently  taken  place,  when  3000  and  more 
renounced  their  idols  and  their  false  teachers,  and 
embraced  the  Gospel.  And  it  cannot  be  doubted 
that  the  seed,  which  the  Missionaries  have  now  been  so 
long  sowing  in  faith  and  patience  throughout  the  dis- 
trict of  Burdwan,  will  shortly  germinate  and  spring 
up  in  other  places,  as  it  has  already  done  so  happily 
in  this,  which  was  for  a  long  period  but  one  among 
the  several  secondary  Out-stations  of  the  original 
Mission. 

It  was  a  matter  of  heartfelt  joy  to  Mr.  Pratt,  to  see 
these  promising  commencements  in  so  many  parts  of 
the  vast  country,  which  had  been  till  recently  closely 
shut  against  the  Gospel.  Among  the  fifteen  Missiona- 
ries who  were  sent  out  to  India  and  Ceylon  during  this 
period,  in  addition  to  fifteen  wdio  went  out  during  the 
four  preceding  years,  were  some  very  able  as  well  as 
devoted  men,  and  he  looked  with  great  hope  for  the 
fruit  of  their  labours.  Of  one  of  them  in  particular, 
the  Rev.  F.  C.  G.  Schroeter,  he  entertained  great  ex- 
pectations, as  designed  for  extensive  usefulness.  He 
had  been  labouring  on  the  borders  of  Nepaul,  north 
of  Calcutta  ;  and  had  specially  devoted  himself  to  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the  language  of  the 
immense  region  of  Thibet,  which  seemed  to  form  a 
link   between  Hindostan   and  China.     He  was  pecu- 


1818—24]  MR.  SCHROETER.  211 

liarly  fitted  for  this  task  by  his  natural  gifts,  and  had 
the  advantage  of  acting  under  the  constant  and  zealous 
support  of  Major  Latter,  Agent  to  the  Governor- 
General  in  those  parts. 

Although  engaged  in  so  important  a  work,  he  ap- 
pears to  have  thirsted  for  opportunities  of  preaching 
to  the  natives ;  but  circumstances  made  it  impracti- 
cable ;  and  Mr.  Pratt  wrote  as  follows  to  encourage 
him  in  the  pursuits  in  which  he  was  engaged  : — 

"  It  seems  that  Major  Latter  thought  it  not  expedient  for  you 
to  preach  to  the  Nepaulese.  Now  we  should  not  consent  to  a 
Missionary  making  this  sacrifice  [of  remaining  where  he  cannot 
preach]  unless  it  were  for  a  time,  and  to  answer  important  ends. 
At  all  events,  be  where  he  will,  he  should  be  always  an  Evan- 
gelist ;  he  should  seize  every  opportunity  of  conversing  on  the 
great  things  of  Christ's  salvation  with  the  individuals  or  groups 
he  may  meet  with.  Mr.  Jowett  and  Mr.  Connor  in  the  Medi- 
terranean Mission  are  thus  circumstanced :  they  have  no  op- 
portunity of  public  preaching,  nor  are  very  likely  to  have  any ; 
but  they  are  engaged  in  most  important  work,  and  labour  con- 
tinually, we  trust,  '  to  make  manifest  the  savour  of  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ  in  every  place.'  We  should  think  you  and  any 
other  Missionaries  well  employed  for  a  few  years,  if  you  could 
translate  the  Scriptures  into  the  Thibet  tongue,  even  though 
you  were  debarred  public  preaching.  I  write  this  only  to 
satisfy  your  mind  if  you  should  be  called  to  such  a  situation." 

But  death  put  a  stop  to  his  valuable  labours ;  and 
his  intelligent  patron  soon  followed  him.  The  Thi- 
betian  and  English  Dictionary  which  this  Missionary 
compiled,  passed  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  Carey  of 
Serampore  ;  and  the  expensive  collection  of  books 
bearing    upon    Thibet   was    deposited,    after    Major 

p2 


212  FEMALE  EDUCATION.  [Cii.\r.  XII. 

Latter's  death,  in  the    Library    of  Bishop's  College, 
Calcutta. 

The  loss  of  tliis  valuable  Missionary  was  deeply 
felt.     Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  Mr.  Corrie,  Jan.  15, 1821 : — 

"  The  death  of  Mr.  Schroeter  is  one  of  those  dispensations 
U'hich  leave  us  no  resource  for  relief  to  our  minds,  but  in  that 
devout  submission  taught  us  by  our  Saviour — 'Even  so,  Father, 
for  so  it  seemed  good  in  Thy  sight.'  He  was  a  truly  faithful 
and  valuable  Missionary,  and  was  engaged  in  a  peculiarly  im- 
portant and  interesting  work :  we  cannot  part  with  such  a  man 
without  pain  and  heartfelt  regret." 

Among  the  many  impediments  to  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel  in  India,  none  has  been  more  serious  than  the 
deplorable  state  of  ignorance  and  moral  slavery  in 
which  the  females  are  held.  The  vast  importance  of 
attempting  the  removal  of  this  evil  by  education,  was 
brought  very  forcibly  to  the  notice  of  the  public  by 
ihe  Rev.  Mr.  Ward  of  Serampore,  near  Calcutta, 
during  a  visit  to  England,  in  1819-20.  The  result  of 
this  was,  the  self-dedication  to  this  new  and  untried 
w  ork  of  one,  to  whose  zeal  and  perseverance,  for  nearly 
twenty  years,  the  present  prosperous  state  of  the  fe- 
male schools  in  our  various  India  Missions  is,  under 
God,  mainly  owing.  She  left  England  in  1821,  in 
connection  with  the  British  and  Foreign  School 
Society ;  but  shortly  after  her  arrival  she  joined 
the  Church  Missionary  Society.  Previous  to  her 
departure,  Mr.  Pratt  interested  himself  much  in  the 
object  on  which  she  was  about  to  embark.  Her  design 
was  to  commence  with  Day-schools,  for  any  of  the 
poorer  children  whom  she  might  be  able  to  collect 


1823]  MISS  COOKE.  213 

together ;  and  afterwards  to  attempt  to  gain  admission 
into  the  families  of  the  higher  classes  of  natives,  and 
endeavour  to  engage  their  co-operation  in  promoting 
her  benevolent  object.     Soon  after  she  had  fairly  en- 
tered on  her  work,  she  prevailed  on  her  sister  to  devote 
herself  to   the  same  interesting  and  arduous  under- 
taking.    But  shortly  before  the  time  arrived  for  her 
sister's  embarkation,    it   became   Mr.  Pratt's    painful 
task  to  communicate  to  her  the  melancholy  tidings, 
that  she  was  deprived  of  the  help  and  solace  of  one, 
who  would  have  heartily  and  affectionately  co-operated 
with  her  in  all  her  plans  : — 

To  Miss  Cooke. 

"  Chuhcii  Missionary  House,  London,  April  25, 1823. 
*•  MY  DEAR  MISS  COOKE — 

"  Your  letter  of  November  last  safely  reached  us  by  Mr. 
Sherer,  and  has  afforded  much  satisfaction  to  the  Committee. 

"  It  is  very  painful  to  me,  in  opening  a  correspondence  with 
you,  to  have  to  communicate  tidings  of  a  severely  distressing 
nature ;  but  I  trust  that  our  gracious  God  has  taught  you  to 
turn  to  Him  for  strength  and  consolation  in  every  time  of  need  ; 
and  by  Him  I  doubt  not  that  you  will  be  effectually  supported 
and  comforted,  though  nature  must  deeply  feel  the  stroke  which 
His  fatherly  hand  inflicts. 

"  Our  communications  to  Mr.  Corrie  will  have  led  you  to  ex- 
pect your  sister  Jane,  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilkinson.  Her  pas- 
sage was  taken  in  the  *  Palmyra,'  and  we  were  expecting  her 
arrival  in  town  to  prepare  for  the  voyage,  when  a  letter  arrived 
from  Mr.  J.  A.  Cooke  to  say  that  she  was  dangerously  ill.  In 
the  course  of  a  few  days,  another  letter  arrived  to  say  that  she 
was  no  more. 

"  I  enclose  a  letter  from  your  brother,  which,  I  presume, 
conveys  to  you  all  the  particulars  of  this  melancholy  event. 


214  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XII. 

"  Painful  as  this  dispensation  is,  it  will  afford  a  real  solace  to 
your  mind  to  learn,  that  there  is  every  reason  to  hope  that  at  this 
crisis  the  power  of  Divine  Grace  has  been  displayed,  and  that 
your  sister  has  departed  in  *a  sure  and  certain  hope'  of  a 
resurrection  to  eternal  life,  through  faith  in  the  merits  of  a 
crucified  Saviour. 

"  The  pressure  of  engagements  at  this  season  will  preclude 
me  from  saying  much  on  your  Missionary  proceedings.  We 
'thank  God'  for  the  success  which,  through  His  blessing,  has 
so  signally  crowned  your  labours  hitherto,  and  feel  every  en- 
couragement to  *  take  courage'  in  looking  forward  to  the  future. 

"  The  object  to  which  you  have  devoted  yourself  excites  a 
deep  interest  in  the  minds  of  our  friends  throughout  the  coun- 
try, which  will  be  much  cherished  by  the  representations  which 
you  have  now  made  to  us. 

"The  opening  which  presents  itself,  of  entering  on  the  edu- 
cation of  the  female  children  of  the  higher  class,  is  peculiarly 
encouraging ;  and  we  hail  it  as  an  indication,  that  prejudice 
and  caste  are  silently  yielding  to  the  means  which  are  employed 
for  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  Natives  of  India. 
We  trust  that  these  things  may  be  regarded  as  signs  that  that 
period  is  hastening  on,  when  'the  true  light'  shall  shine  into 
their  hearts,  '  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.' 

"  Let  us  hear  from  you  frequently  and  fully.  You  can 
scarcely  calculate,  how  much  your  object  will  be  promoted  by 
such  communications.  They  keep  alive  a  strong  interest  in 
your  proceedings,  and  quicken  many  to  prayer." 

But  Mr.  Pratt  had  the  gratification,  before  he  re- 
signed the  Secretaryship,  of  seeing  not  only  an  exten- 
sive platform  laid  for  Missionary  exertion  in  India, 
but  also  a  relaxation  of  the  restrictions  by  which  it 
was  somewhat  hampered  on  the  first  erection  of  the 
See  of  Calcutta. 


1822.]  DEATH  OF  BISHOP  MIDDLETON.  215 

Mention  has  been  made  in  a  former  Chapter,  of  the 
difficulty  which  Bishop  Middleton  felt,  in  publicly 
recognizing  by  his  licence  the  Missionaries  of  the 
Church  of  England  who  were  sent  out  to  India.  But 
Mr.  Pratt  and  his  friends  had  the  satisfaction  of  per- 
ceiving that — convinced  of  the  excellent  character  of 
the  men  sent  out,  and  of  the  importance  of  the  work 
to  which  they  had  devoted  themselves — he  began,  after 
a  few  years'  residence  in  the  country,  to  manifest  a 
willingness,  and  indeed  desire,  to  make  some  arrange- 
ment which  should  enable  him  publicly  to  recognize 
the  labours  of  men,  for  whom  he  entertained  a  high 
regard. 

On  this  subject  Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  Mr.  Thomascm  : — 

"  You  will  be  pleased  to  hear  that  the  prospect  of  a  connec- 
tion between  our  Missionaries  and  the  Bishop,  as  their  Dio- 
cesan, is  briglitening.  All  the  particulars  are  communicated 
to  Mr.  Corrie.  Should  the  Bishop  receive  the  propositions  of 
your  Committee,  as  we  are  encouraged  to  hope  he  will,  the 
arrangement  will  be  settled  on  the  most  satisfactory  terms,  and 
with  the  prospect  of  the  most  beneficial  result." 

But  death  put  a  stop  to  these  important  negotia- 
tions. On  the  8th  of  July,  1822,  Bishop  IMiddleton 
fell  a  sacrifice  to  a  severe  Bengal  fever,  to  the  grief  of 
all  who  were  acquainted  with  his  important  plans  and 
labours  for  the  extension  of  Christianity  in  India. 

Much  anxiety  was  very  naturally  felt  as  to  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  successor.  It  need  hardly  be  stated, 
that  the  choice  fell  upon  the  Kev.  Reginald  Ileber,  who 
did  not  shrink  from  the  arduous  post.  How  nuich 
this  appointment  fell  in  with  the  wishes  of  Mr.  Pratt 


216  APPOINTMENT  OF  BISHOP  IlEBER.  [Chap.  XII. 

and  his  friends,  may  be  gathered  from  his  letters  to 
India  at  this  time.  He  had  intimated  to  Mr.  Corrie, 
that  this  selection  would  most  probably  be  made  ;  and 
at  a  subsequent  date  writes  again  as  follows  : — 

"  London,  Jan.  23,  1823. 
"my  de.\r  brother  — 

"  We  can  now  congratulate  you  without  reserve  on  this 
subject.  Many  and  earnest  prayers  have  been  put  up  on  tliis 
occasion,  that  it  would  please  God  to  guide  and  overrule  the 
appointment  in  such  a  way  as  might  best  promote  His  glory. 
We  acknowledge  in  this  appointment  the  goodness  of  God. 
Mr.  Heber  is  a  member  of  our  Society,  and  a  Vice-President 
of  the  Shropshire  Association.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  die  Gospel,  though  not  one  of 
its  incorporated  members  :  but  he  is  a  consistent  and  sincere 
Churchman,  while  he  will  doubUess  act  on  large  and  just 
views.  In  genius,  learning,  family,  and  personal  character,  he 
is  worthy  to  be  Bishop  of  Calcutta;  while  his  clear  and  sound 
views  of  religion  will  lead  him  to  diffuse  right  principles  through- 
out his  diocese.  Let  us  now  pray  that  the  abundant  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  may  abide  upon  him,  and  that  the  gracious 
Providence  of  God  may  secure  his  health  and  lengthen  his 
days. 

"  We  shall  have  the  best  opportunity  of  coming  to  a  full 
understanding  with  your  future  Bishop,  and  we  earnestly  pray 
that  God  may  be  pleased  to  unite  you  all  in  one  harmonious 
band  of  devout  and  successful  servants  of  His  will. 

"  I  considered  that  you  would  all  hail  this  information  with 
thankfulness,  and  therefore  hasten  to  communicate  it." 

He  writes  again  : — 

''June  14,  1823. 
"my  dear  nROTIIER — 

"  •  •  ♦  W'^e  have  had  further  opportunities  of  conversing 
with    the  Bishop   of  Calcutta,   and  have   \unformly  found  him 


1323.]  BISHOP  HEBER.  217 

disposed  to  confer  with  us  on  the  Society's  proceedings  in  the 
most  unreserved  manner,  and  to  enter  most  cordially  into  its 
objects  and  interests. 

"  *  ♦  •  At  our  last  Meeting  [of  the  Committee],  on  the 
9th  inst..  Dr.  Ileber  attended,  unsolicited,  and  renewed  the 
expression  of  his  attachment  to  the  principles  of  the  Society, 
and  the  declaration  of  his  disposition  to  give  its  proceedings  in 
India  his  cordial  support. 

*'  In  a  conversation  with  the  Bishop,  he  stated  that  he  was 
willing  to  stand  in  India  in  any  relation  to  the  Society,  which 
might  be  thought  most  advisable.     »     *     * 

"Civilians  having  been  referred  to,  at  the  instance  of  the 
Bishop,  I  believe,  to  ascertain  whether  the  present  Letters 
Patent  give  him  unrestricted  power  of  Ordination,  on  which 
point  Bishop  Middleton  drew  from  them  a  conclusion  in  the 
negative,  they  have  delivered  their  opinion  in  the  affirmative. 
It  has  not,  therefore,  been  deemed  necessary  to  ask  for  any  en- 
largement of  them." 

This  favourable  change  regarding  ordination,  was 
hailed  by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  with  high 
satisfaction,  and  with  fervent  gratitude  to  Him  who 
overrules  all  to  His  own  glory  and  the  extension  of 
His  kingdom. 

Bishop  Heber  reached  Calcutta  in  October,  1823 ; 
and  about  two  years  afterwards  an  opportunity  pre- 
sented itself  for  the  ordination  of  Abdool  Messeeh  and 
Mr.  Bowley,  as  has  been  already  mentioned,  according 
to  the  discipline  of  the  Church  of  England. 

The  Bishop,  before  leaving  home,  obtained  the 
opinion  of  the  King's  Advocate,  that  all  Ministers  of 
the  Church  of  England  within  his  diocese  were  within 
his  jurisdiction,  as  much  as  the  Chaplains.    It  was  upon 


21S  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  Xll. 

the  ground  of  this  opinion  that  he  determined  to  grant 
licences  to  the  Church  Missionaries  ;  and  lie  over- 
ruled the  dilTiculty  hitherto  presented  by  the  Canons, 
by  altering  the  terms  of  the  licence  in  the  case  of 
the  Missionaries,  as  indeed  he  was  obliged  to  do  in 
that  of  some  of  the  Chaplains,  by  adding  "  district" 
to  that  of  "  station,"  as  being  of  a  less  restrictive 
character. 

The  New-Zealand  Mission  had  not  at  this  time 
made  any  great  progress,  although  sixteen  years  had 
passed  in  anxious  inquiry  and  persevering  endeavours 
to  establish  a  footing  in  the  Northern  Island.  The  first 
live  years  were  spent,  as  we  have  seen,  in  watching 
for  an  opportunity  of  entering  the  country  ;  and  the 
remaining  eleven  were  occupied  in  overcoming  the 
prejudices  and  superstitions  of  the  noble  race  of 
savages  by  whom  it  was  peopled.  It  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at,  that  difficulties  of  a  peculiar  character 
should  beset  a  work  so  new.  Ten  Europeans,  with 
their  wives,  had  entered  upon  it  by  the  beginning  of 
the  year  1821 ;  two  of  them  ordained,  and  the  remain- 
der of  them  engaged  as  schoolmasters,  or  artificers, 
or  agriculturists.  It  will  not  surprise  such  as  are 
well  acquainted  with  the  corruption  of  the  human 
heart,  and  the  imperfections,  mistakes,  and  infirmities 
of  the  best  intentioned,  that  some  of  the  early  difficul- 
ties in  this  case  also  arose  from  disagreements  among 
the  labourers  themselves  ;  in  consequence  of  which 
several  abandoned  the  work.  The  following  admirable 
letter  was  written  by  Mr.  Pratt,  on  tidings  of  these 
sad  events  reacliing  home  : — 


1821]  NEW-ZEALAND  MISSION.  219 

To  the  Missionaries  and  Settlers,  Netv  Zealand. 

"London,  Aug. 22,  1821. 

"  We  desire  gratefully  to  acknowledge  the  gracious  protec- 
tion afforded  to  you  by  our  Heavenly  Father  in  the  midst  of 
perils  and  under  many  trials.  Such  an  interposition  of  Divine 
Providence,  under  your  circumstances,  strengthens  the  obliga- 
tion by  which  you  are  bound  to  devote  yourselves  faithfully 
and  zealously  to  His  glory,  in  communicating  to  the  New 
Zealanders  the  Gospel  of  His  grace. 

"  To  make  known  to  these  benighted  heathen  the  way  of 
salvation,  through  faith  in  the  merits  of  a  crucified  Saviour,  is 
your  first  duty ;  and  in  all  your  intercourse  with  them,  oppor- 
tunities for  doing  so  ought  to  be  vigorously  sought  and 
promptly  improved.  If  your  own  hearts  are  in  a  truly  Missio- 
nary temper,  occasions  and  means  of  doing  this  will  never  be 
wanting.  While  the  natives  are  working  with  you,  or  sitting 
in  your  houses,  or  in  any  other  seasons  of  occasional  or  stated 
intercourse,  the  vigorous  Missionary,  full  of  faith,  and  whose 
heart  is  burning  with  vehement  love  to  souls,  and  melting  with 
compassion  at  the  ignorance,  wickedness,  and  misery  of  the 
heathen  among  whom  he  dwells,  will  never  be  at  a  loss  for 
topics,  and  arguments,  and  motives,  in  order  to  convey  to  them 
the  knowledge  of  the  fulness  of  that  grace  and  love  towards 
sinners  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  Committee  are  most 
solicitous  to  press  it  on  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  you  all, 
to  be  thus  'instant  in  season  and  out  of  season'  in  discharginer 
your  peculiar  duties  as  Missionaries.  If  you  are  brought, 
through  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  habitually  to  act  thus  in 
your  intercourse  with  the  natives,  following  your  endeavours 
with  fervent  prayers  in  secret  and  unitedly,  and  waiting  in  faith 
for  the  fulfilment  of  the  Divine  promises,  most  assuredly  '  your 
labour  will  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord.'  The  blessing  will  not 
be  withheld :  *  in  due  season  ye  shall  reap  if  ye  faint  not.* 
'  He  caimot  deny  Himself.' 

"  But,  dear  friends,  this  heavenly-mindedness,  this  devoted- 


2-20  NEW- ZEALAND  MISSION.  [Chap.  XII. 

ness  to  the  gloiy  of  God,  this  love  to  souls,  cannot  exist  nor  be 
maintained  among  you,  unless  ye  '  have  fervent  charity  among 
yourselves  :'  for  '  where  envying  and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion 
and  every  evil  work.'  Watch  and  pray,  then,  continually 
against  this  dividing  spirit,  so  injurious  to  yourselves,  so  de- 
structive of  your  usefulness.  Remember  that  the  Psalmist 
emphatically  marks  it,  as  a  'good'  no  less  than  a  'pleasant' 
thing,  for  'brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity,'  Ps.  cxxxiii.  1. 
Mark  well,  likewise,  the  petitions  offered  up  by  Christ  in 
behalf  of  His  people,  'That  they  all  may  be  one,  as  Thou, 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  Thee ;  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
us,  that  the  world  may  believe  that  Thou  hast  sent  me.'  Dili- 
gently study  this  prayer,  and  endeavour  thoroughly  to  drink 
into  its  spirit,  and  ye  shall  be  blessed  in  your  deed  and  helpers 
of  each  other's  joy.    *    *    *    * 

"  Subordination  among  yourselves  is  so  essential  to  your 
own  comfort,  as  Avell  as  to  the  success  of  your  labours,  that  I 
cannot  conclude  without  adverting  to  it,  though  it  has  been  so 
continually  and  so  strictly  insisted  on  by  the  Committee  here- 
tofore. Again  would  we  say,  '  Look  not  every  man  on  his  own 
things ;  but  every  man  also  on  the  things  of  others,'  Phil.  ii. 
3 — 5.  '  Yea,  all  of  you  be  subject  one  to  another,'  1  Pet.  v.  5. 
What,  dear  friends,  is  requisite  in  order  to  keep  these  precepts 
of  our  Heavenly  Master,  but  that  we  should  deny  and  mortify 
the  pride  and  selfishness  of  our  cori'upt  hearts  ?  And  surely  if  we 
do  not  desire,  and  endeavour,  and  pray  to  do  this,  we  are  not  only 
unfit  for  Missionaries,  but  unworthy  of  the  name  of  Christians. 
'  If  any  man  have  not  tlie  Spirit  of  Christ  lie  is  none  of  His.' 

"  And  now,  dear  brethren,  we  '  commend  you  to  God  and  to 
the  word  of  His  grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to 
give  you  an  inheritance  among  all  them  which  are  sanctified.' 
'  Be  perfect,  be  of  good  courage,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace, 
and  the  God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with  you.' 

"  I  remain,  truly  and  affectionately  yours, 

"JosiAii  Pratt." 


1824]  CORRESPONDENCE.  221 

Towards  the  close  of  1822,  a  third  ordained  Missio- 
nary embarked  for  New  Zealand,  with  two  more  lay- 
men, one  a  carpenter,  the  other  a  farmer.  By  the 
time  he  entered  upon  his  work,  tlie  other  two  Clergy- 
men had  left  the  Mission.  The  following  is  an  ex- 
tract from  a  letter  which  Mr.  Pratt  wrote  to  him — the 
last  of  his  letters  to  New  Zealand  : — 

To  the  Rev.  Henry  Williams. 

"  London,  March  29,  1824. 
*•  DEAR  BROTHER  — 

"  *  «  *  We  were  glad  to  learn,  that  at  the  date  of  your  last 
letter  you  were  on  the  point  of  embarking  for  New  Zealand. 
We  are  now  waiting  witli  solicitude  for  information  of  your  pro- 
ceedings on  your  arrival.  The  duties  before  you  are  arduous 
and  painful ;  but  the  grace  of  Christ,  His  wisdom,  and  His 
strength  are  your  resource,  and  adequately  provide  for  the  sup- 
ply of 'all  your  need.'  Be  much,  dear  brother,  in  communion 
with  Him ;  preserve  a  single  eye  to  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
great  work  before  you  ;  and  cultivate  a  spirit  of  humility,  for- 
bearance, and  kindness,  in  all  your  intercourse  with  your 
brethren." 

About  three  years  after  the  Rev.  Henry  Williams  left 
England,  he  was  followed  by  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Williams.  It  was  not  till  the  years  1831-2,  that 
the  Gospel  began  to  take  effectual  root  among  the  New 
Zealanders ;  but  from  that  date  it  has  spread  w  ith 
wonderful  success.  These  two  Missionaries  are  still 
at  their  post  in  New  Zealand,  and  were  both  raised 
to  the  honourable  office  of  Archdeacon  on  the  arrival 
of  the  Bishop  in  1842. 

Into  this  successful  position  was  the  Society  brought 


222  MR-  PRATT  RESIGNS  [Chav.  XII. 

at  the  time  that  Mr.  Pratt  found  it  necessary,  from  the 
multiplication  of  its  business  and  the  urgency  of  other 
engagements,  to  resign  the  Secretaryship  which  he 
had  so  long  held. 

The  following  letter,  conveying  his  resignation,  will 
shew  the  feeling  with  which  he  took  this  important 
step : — 

To  the  Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 
"  Gentlemen — 

"  The  Report  of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence,  which 
will  be  laid  before  you  at  the  present  Meeting,  will  inform  you, 
that  in  the  new  arrangements  which  are  required  in  the  Secre- 
tary's department  by  its  great  increase  of  business,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  make  provision  not  only  for  additional  assistance  in  the 
discharge  of  its  duties,  but  also  to  supply  my  place  in  that 
department.  The  grounds  on  which  my  retiring  is  become 
necessary  will  be  stated  to  you  in  the  said  Report :  but  I 
cannot  withdraw  from  the  relation  in  which  I  have  so  long 
stood  to  the  Society,  without  expressing  my  sincere  regret, 
that  this  step  is  become  unavoidable  from  the  increase  of  other 
duties. 

"  The  great  cause,  indeed,  in  which  we  have  been  so  long 
engaged,  has  so  interwoven  itself  with  my  habits,  and  is,  I 
trust,  so  deeply  seated  in  my  heart,  that  it  will,  I  hope,  con- 
tinue to  occupy,  while  life  and  reason  shall  remain,  the  chief  of 
my  thoughts  and  the  best  of  my  time.  In  any  way,  and  to  any 
extent,  which  may  be  practicable  and  expedient,  the  Committee 
may  always  command  my  services  in  that  best  of  causes  in 
which  Christians  can  be  engaged. 

"  That  cause,  indeed,  requires  the  hearty  co-operation  of  all 
the  faithful  servants  of  Christ— in  counsel,  in  liberality,  in 
labour,  and  in  prayer.  That  it  is  making  rapid  progress,  we 
have  abundant  evidence ;  but  that  its  difficulties  also  multiply 
in  some  proportion  to  that  progress,  we  are  compelled  painfully 


1824.]  THE  SECRETARYSHIP.  223 

to  feel.  The  instruments  to  be  employed  being  men  of  like 
passions  with  ourselves,  who  have  to  direct  them  in  their 
labours,  the  increase  of  such  instruments  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  work  which  is  so  fast  augmenting,  unavoidably 
multiplies  the  cares  of  those  who  have  the  responsibility  of 
governing  this  grand  and  comprehensive  machine :  while  these 
cares  are  not  a  little  increased  by  the  great  activity  of  that 
malignant  influence  which  everywhere  displays  itself,  by  acting 
on  the  weakness  of  good  men  and  the  wickedness  of  the  evil, 
against  the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 

"  The  obligation  under  which  this  state  of  things  lays  the 
servants  of  Christ,  of  increasing  simplicity  of  purpose  in  all 
their  labours,  and  increasing  humility  of  dependence  therein  on 
the  guidance  and  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  felt,  I  am  per- 
suaded, by  us  all.  Maintaining  and  cherishing,  through  Divine 
grace,  this  temper  of  mind  in  all  our  plans  and  exertions, 
we  may  fearlessly  proceed.  By  our  services,  and  those  of 
our  predecessors,  fellow-labourers,  and  successors,  God  will 
magnify  His  own  great  name,  in  the  fulfilment  of  His  pro- 
mises, until  the  earth  shall  be  covered  with  the  knowledge  of 
the  Lord. 

"  I  cannot  conclude  without  the  expression  of  my  sincere 

thanks  for  the  kindness,  which,  in  the  exercise  of  my  office,  I 

have  uniformly  received,  for  so  long  a  course  of  years,  at  the 

hands  of  the  Committee,  and  shall  ever  remain, 

"  Gentlemen, 

"  Your  affectionate  friend  and  servant, 

"JosiAii  Pratt." 
"  Church  Missionary  House,  April  23,  1824. 

The  following  notice  was  taken  of  his  retirement 
in  the  Twenty-fourth  Annual  Report  of  the  Society  :  — 

"Your  Committee  received  with  real  concern  Mr.  Pratt's  re- 
signation of  the  office  of  Secretary  of  the  Society,  which  he  had 
held  for  a  period  of  one-and-twenty  years,  with  the  highest 
advantage  to  the  Society. 


224  RESIGNATION  OF  THE  SECRETARYSHIP.      [Ciiai-.  Xll. 

"  The  Committee  attest,  with  grateful  satisfaction,  the  dis- 
tinguished share  which,  under  God,  the  zealous,  judicious,  and 
unwearied  labours  of  your  late  Secretary  have  had,  in  drawing 
forth  the  large  resources  now  enjoyed  by  the  Society,  and  in 
gradually  enlarging  its  operations  to  their  present  wide  extent. 
While  they  express  the  strong  sense  which  they  entertain  of 
Mr.  Pratt's  long  and  able  services  in  the  Society,  the  Com- 
mittee cannot  refrain  from  recording,  also,  the  lively  feelings  of 
personal  esteem  and  respect,  which  have  grown  up  and  been 
matured  din-ing  their  long  official  intercourse  with  him.  In 
taking  a  reluctant  leave  of  him  in  the  capacity  of  Secretary  of 
the  Society,  the  Committee  have  requested  that  he  will  allow 
them  to  retain  his  name  in  connection  with  their  transactions, 
under  the  designation  of  '  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Cor- 
respondence.' By  this  arrangement,  the  Committee  will  con- 
tinue to  avail  themselves  of  Mr.  Pratt's  counsel  and  co-operation, 
in  the  prosecution  of  their  labours  ;  and  their  future  proceedings 
will  participate  in  the  advantages  to  be  derived,  as  well  from 
his  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  Society's  concerns,  as  from 
his  extensive  information  on  all  topics  connected  with  the  un- 
dertakings and  operations  of  Missionary  Institutions."" 

For  several  years  he  continued  to  occupy  the  post 
of  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence,  the 
chief  working  Committee  of  the  Society. 

"And  it  was  only  when  the  Lord  raised  up  other  labourers, 
in  whose  qualifications  he  cordially  rejoiced,  that  he  allowed 
himself  to  yield  to  that  measured  retirement,  which  his  natural 
character,  his  growing  years,  and  his  increasing  bodily  infir- 
mities demanded.  And  still  as  Chamber  Counsel  of  the 
Church,  he  was  ready  to  the  last  to  aid  with  his  advice  all  who 
consulted  him."  * 


*  Mr.  Bickcrstetli's  Funeral  Sermon. 


1802—1824.]  MR.  PRATT'S  LABOURS.  223 

We  know  not  how  better  to  conclude  the  preceding 
outline  of  Mr.  Pratt's  labours  as  Secretary  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  than  by  adding  the  testi- 
mony of  two  highly-valued  friends  to  their  extent,  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  were  executed  ; — the  one  for 
many  years  his  valued  coadjutor  and  an  eye-witness 
of  his  indefatigable  zeal ;  both  of  them  successors  to 
his  oflBce : — 

"  For  twenty-two  years*  (says  Mr.  Bickerstethf)  Mr.  Pratt 
devoted  almost  the  entire  energies  of  his  commanding  under- 
standing, his  great  experience,  and  his  sound  judgment,  to  this 
Society ;  and  gradually  laid  those  deep  and  broad  founda- 
tions, on  which  the  Society  has  been  raised  to  its  present 
blessedness.  He  formed  the  chief  rules  by  which  it  is  now 
conducted ;  he  planned  the  '  Missionary  Register,'  by  which 
tlie  spirit  of  Missions  has  been  so  largely  diffused.  More 
than  twenty  volumes,  edited  by  him  from  the  year  1813, 
shew  the  wisdom,  the  love,  the  judgment,  the  indefatigable 
toil,  and  the  enlarged  mind,  of  their  able  editor  from  year 
to  year.  It  is  a  full  treasury,  that  will  be  invaluable  to  the 
future  historian  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  The  Annual  Reports 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  prepared  by  him  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  mark  the  same  diligent,  judicious,  com- 
prehensive, and  loving  spirit. 

"  He  originated  the  system  of  Associations  through  the 
country;  in  connection  with  him  the  Missionary  Institution  at 
Islington  was  formed.  The  chief  Missions  have  been  esta- 
blished while  he  was  Secretary.  It  will  never  be  fully  known 
till  the  day  of  Christ,  through  how  many  conflicts  and  trials 
and  labours  the  Missionary  principle  was  maintained,  diffused, 


*  Mr.  Pratt  was  chosen  Secretary  Dec.  1802,  and  resigned  April  28,  1824. 
t  Funeral  Sermon,  pp.  26,  27. 

Q 


226  EXTENT  AND  CHARACTER  OF  [Chap.  XII. 

and  established  in  our  country  by  his  stedfostness  and  exertions, 
and  through  how  many  sorrows  and  sufferings,  from  the  many 
deaths  of  Missionaries  in  Africa,  and,  in  some  cases,  from  their 
inconsistency,  and  the  falls  of  some,  the  Churches  of  Christ 
were  at  length  permanently  formed  among  the  heathen  under 
his  scriptural  direction  and  unshaken  perseverance.  He  exa- 
mined all  the  Missionary  Candidates.  When  I  thought  of 
devoting  myself  to  the  Ministry  I  opened  my  heart  to  him,  and 
he  at  once  invited  me  to  share  his  labours  both  in  the  Ministry 
and  in  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  It  was  my  privilege 
to  be  his  fellow-labourer  from  1815  till  he  resigned  the  Secre- 
taryship in  1824,  and  for  the  next  six  years  to  enter  into  his 
labours.  But  I  rejoice  to  testify,  that  God  especially  honoured 
our  departed  friend  as  a  chief  Father  of  this  Society,  and  the 
originator  of  its  most  important  plans  and  proceedings." 

Mr.  Venn  expresses  himself  as  follows : — 

"  The  unweariedness  of  his  labours  was  truly  extraordinary. 
Few  men  are  capable  of  such  continuous  exertion  as  he  endured  ; 
and  still  fewer  would  give  themselves  up  to  toil  herein,  not  for 
a  temporal  reward,  but  to  send  a  blessing  to  distant  lands. 

"  He  possessed,  moreover,  a  peculiar  qualification  for  his 
work,  in  that  largeness  of  heart,  which  could  embrace  the 
necessities  of  all  his  fellow-creatures,  and  earnestly  seek  the  ex- 
tension of  Christ's  Kingdom  throughout  the  world. 

"  I  have  heard  from  the  lips  of  many  a  Missionary  affect- 
ing testimonies  to  his  tender  sympathy  and  paternal  regard 
toward  them  from  the  first  hour  that  they  devoted  them- 
selves to  the  work  of  the  Society.  He  bore  them  continually 
upon  his  heai't;  though  absent  from  them  in  the  body,  still 
present  with  them  in  spirit,  joying  and  beholding  their  suc- 
cess and  prosperity.  This  largeness  of  heart  was  not  the 
fruit  of  his  connection  with  the  Church  Missionary  Society : 
rather,  the  establishment  and  extension  of  that  Society  was 
the   result   of  this    noble  quality  of  his   mind.      Nor  was    it 


1S02— 1824.]  MR.  PRATT'S  LABOURS.  227 

restricted  in  its  exercise  to  the  operations  of  this  one  Society  : 
for  being  animated  and  regulated  by  the  principle  laid  down  in 
the  text  [I  Pet.  iv.  10,  11],  it  manifested  itself  in  a  genuine 
catholicity  of  spirit.  He  heartily  rejoiced  in  the  success  of  all 
who  were  labouring  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  willingly  co- 
operated with  them  as  far  as  he  had  opportunity.  Though  his 
whole  soul  seemed  devoted  to  the  interests  of  one  great  Society, 
yet  he  was  far  above  all  petty  jealousy  or  party  spirit  in  respect 
of  other  kindi'ed  Institutions. 

"  Mr.  Pratt  seems  to  have  discerned  most  accurately  that  pre- 
cise line  of  labour,  which  constituted  the  ability  which  God  had 
given  to  him ;  and  convinced  that  herein  he  was  following  the 
call  of  God,  he  pursued  it  with  constancy  and  perseverance, 
and  never  deviated  from  it  to  grasp  any  other  distinction. 
That  precise  line  was,  to  take  a  practical  view  of  all  questions 
connected  with  the  Evangelization  of  the  World.  It  was  his 
part  to  mature  measures,  devised  by  himself  or  others,  for  the 
accomplishment  of  this  end ;  to  carry  them  out  in  detail ;  to 
combine  the  varied  efforts  of  zealous  friends  at  home ;  and  to 
preserve  a  consistency  in  all  the  operations  of  the  Society 
abroad.  For  this  work  a  man  was  needed  possessing  a  mind 
comprehensive  in  its  views,  sound  in  its  judgment,  candid 
towards  objectors,  practical  in  its  character,  prompt  and  patient 
in  execution.  Such  was  Josiah  Pratt.  He  had  the  rare  fa- 
culty of  taking  a  wide  and  comprehensive,  but  at  the  same  time 
a  thoroughly  practical  view  of  questions.  There  was  nothing 
minute  about  the  character  of  his  mind;  yet  it  was  most 
admirable  in  following  out  his  plans  in  detail. 

"  The  vast  extent  to  which  the  operations  of  the  Missionary 
Society  were,  under  his  direction,  extended,  yet  with  sound 
practical  wisdom  in  all  its  departments,  affords  a  standing  proof 
of  this  statement."  * 


*  Sermon  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Pratt,  by  the  Rev.  H.Venn,  Honorary 
Secretary  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  pp.  12—14. 

(}  2 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

1814—1824. 

MR.     PRATT's     ministry    during    this     period  —  WITIIDRAVrS    FROM    THB 

ECLECTIC    SOCIETY ACCIDENTAL    DEATH    OF  AN   AGED    MEMBER    OF    HIS 

CONGREGATIONS THE    HONEST    WATERMAN VISIT  OF  BISHOP    CHASE  TO 

ENGLAND ASSISTANCE  AFFORDED    TO    HIM    BY    MR.  PRATT    IN     HIS    AP- 
PEAL TO  THE  inilTISH   PUBLIC . 

In  tracing  the  progress  of  ]\Ir.  Pratt's  exertions  in 
behalf  of  the  Society  in  which  he  devoted  the  vigour 
of  his  days,  it  has  been  thought  best  not  to  break 
the  thread  of  the  narrative  for  the  last  twelve  years, 
by  the  introduction  of  other  topics.  But  through- 
out this  busy  period  of  his  life  he  continued  to 
preach  three  times  a-week,  viz.  at  Wheler  Chapel, 
at  St.  Mary  Woolnoth's,  and  at  St.  Lav^'rence's. 
Every  other  stated  engagement  he  felt  compelled 
to  relinquish,  as  v^ill  appear  from  the  following 
letter  addressed  to  the  members  of  the  Eclectic 
Society  : — 

"  Church  Missionary  House,  Jan.  2,  1816. 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIENDS — 

"  I  have  long  struggled  with  myself  before  I  could  bring 
my  mind  to  request  tliat  you  would  permit  me  to  pass  off,  for 
the  present  at  least,  as  a  miles  emeritus.  But  when  I  look  at 
the  book,  and  find  that  I  was  present  but  twice  last  year,  and 
see  no  immediate  prospect  of  being  able  to  resume  that  seat 
which  I  have  reason  to  thank  God  from  my  heart  that  I  ever 


1814—1824.]  PULPIT  MINISTRATIONS.  229 

held,  I  cannot  continue  to  occupy  a  post,  the  duties  of  which 
I  am  disquahfied  from  discharging. 

"  jNIany  of  you  know  well  that  my  occupation  at  this  House 
is  so  incessant,  that  I  have  neither  time  nor  spirits  for  any 
thing  beyond  its  walls,  except  what  is  of  necessity  laid  upon 
me.  An  average  engagement  for  the  last  two  years  perhaps, 
in  the  Society's  concerns,  of  from  eight  to  twelve  hours  a-day, 
beside  frequent  journeyings,  have  made  me  almost  a  perfect 
stranger  to  my  own  study ;  and  have  obliged  me  to  look  for, 
what  I  gratefully  acknowledge  I  have  found,  the  special  sup- 
port and  blessing  of  God.  But  I  assure  you,  my  dear  friends, 
I  need,  and  shall  need,  this  support ;  for  my  spirits  and  health 
sometimes  give  symptoms  of  failing.  But  I  am  persuaded  you 
remember  your  brethren  before  that  throne  round  which  we 
shall  all,  I  trust,  meet,  when  prayer  shall  have  yielded  to  eter- 
nal praise. 

"  I  remain,  in  the  best  of  all  bonds, 

"  Your  ever  affectionate  brother  and  friend, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

His  pulpit  ministrations  were  more  especially 
valued,  as  already  stated,  for  their  deeply  experi- 
mental character,  and  their  richness  in  scriptural 
truth.  Salvation  by  grace,  through  faith,  was  his 
great  topic;  but  in  its  personal  application  he  un- 
folded the  secret  workings  of  the  heart,  laid  bare  its 
deceitfulness,  and  the  danger  of  having  a  form  of  god- 
liness without  its  power.  He  always,  however,  entered 
largely  into  the  practical  details  of  the  Christian  life. 
He  was  in  the  habit  of  preaching  a  course  of  sermons 
at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  specially  on  domestic 
and  relative  duties.  To  humble  the  sinner,  to  detect 
and   convince  the  self-deceiver,  and  to  comfort  and 


230  AFFECTING  EVENT.  [Chap.  Xlll. 

edify  the  children  of  God,  were  his  leading  aims. 
Many,  we  doubt  not,  will  be  able  to  testify  in  the  day 
of  Christ,  of  the  saving  grace  and  power  which  accom- 
panied his  ministry. 

During  the  period  that  he  held  the  Lectureships  at 
St.  Lawrence's  and  St.  Mary  Woolnoth's,  two  affecting 
events  occurred  in  the  death  of  two  aged  men  among 
the  humbler  class  of  his  hearers.  The  one  was  taken 
away  by  a  sudden  accident.  Mr.  Pratt  had  been 
preaching  on  Wednesday  evening  at  St.  Lawrence's, 
upon  the  text,  " My  times  are  in  thy  hand"  when  the 
individual  alluded  to  was  present, — drinking  in  the 
refreshing  truths  which  flowed  from  the  preacher's 
lips,  and  feeling  doubtless  the  rich  consolation  which 
the  believer  enjoys  in  trusting  himself  for  life  or  for 
death  in  the  hands  of  his  covenanted  God.  In  less 
than  half  an  hour  after  the  service  was  over,  this  aged 
pilgrim  was  brought  back  a  corpse  to  the  very  church, 
where  he  had  been  but  just  before  a  happy  and  devout 
worshipper.  With  his  well-read  Bible  under  his  arm, 
he  was  directing  his  steps  toward  a  part  of  the  town, 
where  he  was  in  the  habit  of  teaching  in  an  evening 
adult  school.  He  had  to  pass  through  Lad  Lane,  at 
a  corner  of  which,  just  as  he  was  turning  it  and 
crossing  over,  the  leaders  of  a  mail  coach  suddenly 
came  upon  him,  and  before  he  could  save  himself 
he  was  thrown  down,  and  killed  on  the  spot. 

The  other  individual  was  the  remarkable  old  Chris- 
tian, whose  history  has  since  been  recorded  in  a  well- 
known  tract,  entitled  the  "  Honest  Waterman."  He 
appears  to  have  been  a  hearer  of  the  Rev.  William  Ro- 


1814—1824.]  THE  HONEST  WATERMAN.  231 

maine  and  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  till  the  death  of  those 
venerable  ministers  ;  and  afterwards  of  Mr.  Pratt  and 
the  Rev.  Henry  G.  Watkins.  From  the  extreme  difR- 
dence  of  his  character,  and  his  love  of  concealment,  he 
rather  shunned  than  sought  opportunities  of  making 
the  acquaintance  of  the  ministers  whose  churches  he 
attended :  and  not  residing  in  the  parishes  within 
which  the  churches  were  situated,  he  remained  per- 
sonally unknown  to  them,  although,  from  his  regu- 
larity of  attendance  and  his  devout  deportment,  he 
could  not  but  be  a  marked  character.  It  was  ascer- 
tained, after  his  death,  that  he  had  long  been  well 
known  on  the  river  among  his  fellow-watermen  for 
his  strict  honesty  and  his  regular  and  diligent  habits : 
so  remarkable  were  these,  that  although  his  daily 
receipts  were  rarely  above  five  shillings,  he  left 
by  will  100/.  stock  of  Three-per-Cent.  Annuities 
to  each  of  nine  Religious  or  Benevolent  Societies, 
and  half  that  sum  to  each  of  five  other  similar  Insti- 
tutions. 

It  was  the  circumstance  of  the  old  man's  nephew 
calling  on  the  treasurer  of  one  of  these  Societies  to 
pay  the  legacy,  which  led  to  the  discovery  of  the  cha- 
racter and  history  of  this  exemplary  Christian.  His 
nephew  furnished  materials  for  the  above-mentioned 
Tract ;  and  a  gentleman  to  whom  he  was  well  known 
by  sight,  as  a  constant  attendant  at  St.  Mary  Wool- 
noth's,  supplied  some  of  his  recollections. 

After  speaking  of  his  great  devoutness  during  the 
service,  and  his  "  calm  seriousness  and  fixed  attention  " 
during  the  Sermon,  "  I  cannot  but  think,"  adds  his 


232  THE  HONEST  WATERMAN.  [Chap.  XUI. 

biographer,  '^  that  the  discourses  he  heard  at  St.  Mary 
Woolnoth  contributed  to    confirm   and   extend    that 
genuine  Christian  liberality,  both  of  mind  and  heart, 
of  which  his  life  and  death  have  afforded  proofs  so 
striking  and  exemplary."     He  lived  to  the  age  of  75  ; 
and  in  death,  as  in  life,  he  bore  an  eminent  testimony 
to  the  power  and  truth   of  the  gospel  of  Christ.     It 
was  a  subject  of  great  regret  to  the  ministers  whom 
he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  hearing,  that  neither  of 
them  was  called  in  to  enjoy  the  privilege  of  attending 
the    dying    saint  in  his  last  hours.     On  his  nephew 
proposing  to  send  for  Mr.  Pratt  or  Mr.  Watkins,  he 
declined   the  offer,   urging  as  his  reason,  that  their 
time   was  already  fully  engrossed  in   more  pressing 
duties.     Some  of  his  last  words  were  these ;  and  are 
sufficient  to  shew  how  prepared  he  was  for  his  great 
change  : — "My  confidence  is  in  Christ;  He  is  all  my 
salvation :    I  have  no  hope  from   any  other  source  : 
I  trust  that  Jesus  Christ  has  bled  and  died  for  me." — 
"  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory  save  in  the  cross  of 
Jesus  Christ!" — "The  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad 
in  my  heart."     To  which  he  added,  "My  strength 
is  perfect  weakness.     Finish  the  work,  Lord,  and  let 
me  join  the  heavenly  host,   to    sing  Thy  praises  for 
ever  and  ever." 

Statedly  occupied  as  Mr.  Pratt  was  with  the  over- 
whelming calls  of  his  INlinistry  and  the  Society,  yet 
his  active  mind  would  not  suffer  him  to  neglect  occa- 
sional opportunities  of  usefulness  which  seemed  to  be 
providentially  thrown  in  his  way.  An  instance  of  this 
kind  was  presented  towards  the  close  of  1823,  by  the 


1823.]  DIOCESE  OF  OHIO.  233 

arrival   in   England    of  Dr.  Chase,  Bishop    of  Ohio, 
United  States. 

The  state  of  spiritual  destitution  of  the  public  means 
of  grace  which  prevailed  in  two  of  the  nine  dioceses 
of  the  United  States,  bordering  on  the  Atlantic,  will 
have  been  already  in  some  degree  learnt  from  some 
details  in  a  former  Chapter.  But  sad  as  this  state 
was,  it  was  flourishing  compared  with  the  forlorn  con- 
dition of  the  newly-formed  diocese  of  Ohio,  lying 
beyond  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  in  the  western  ter- 
ritory of  the  States,  and  stretching  over  a  surface  of 
30,000  square  miles  of  newly  settled  or  still  unsettled 
country.  Through  this  vast  extent  of  territory,  the 
parishes  and  places  for  holding  Divine  Service  were 
scattered  at  distances  varying  from  fifteen  to  sixty 
miles,  with  only  five  clergymen  to  minister  to  their 
spiritual  wants. 

The  Rev.  Philander  Chase,  D.D.  was  consecrated 
first  Bishop  of  this  peculiarly  arduous  charge  in  Feb. 
1819;  and  soon  after  commenced  a  visitation  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  his  diocese, — travelling 
on  horseback  a  distance  of  more  tlian  1200  miles  in  the 
course  of  the  year,  and  on  his  journey  seeking  out  and 
finding,  not  only  the  scattered  flocks,  but  many  in  the 
woods  not  yet  attached  to  any  congregation,  although 
desirous  of  joining  themselves  to  the  body  of  the  ftiith- 
ful.  This  visitation  laid  open  to  the  Bisho]/s  mind  a 
grievous  picture  of  the  moral  wilderness  committed  to 
his  care  by  the  Great  Shepherd,  and  awakened  in  his 
breast  corresponding  emotions  and  anxious  desires  to 
remedy   the  evil.     There   were   not   wanting  young 


234  BISHOP  CHASE  VISITS  ENGLAND.  [Chap.  XIII. 

men  willing  to  offer  themselves  for  the  ministry ;  but 
poverty,  the  want  of  convenient  accommodations  and 
of  libraries,  and  their  own  incessant  parochial  and 
Missionary  duties,  rendered  it  quite  beyond  the  power 
of  the  Clergy  to  undertake  their  education.  A  General 
Theological  Seminary  had  recently  been  established 
at  New  York ;  but  the  great  distance  of  this  institu- 
tion, and  the  unavoidable  expense  of  sending  students 
to  it  from  the  far  west  across  the  AUeghanies,  made  it 
hopeless  to  look  for  help  in  that  direction.  It  was 
natural,  moreover,  that  the  urgent  calls,  nearer  home, 
of  the  destitute  dioceses  washed  by  the  Atlantic,  would 
be  first  in  some  measure  attended  to,  before  the  for- 
lorn condition  of  the  unknown  wilds  of  Ohio  would 
meet  with  any  more  satisfactory  a  response  than 
mere  expressions  of  sympathy.  And  besides  this, 
the  peculiar  nature  of  the  work  in  this  new  field 
of  labour  required  men  brought  up  on  the  soil ; 
capable  of  readily  assimilating  themselves  to  the  cha- 
racter of  the  inhabitants,  and  of  enduring  the  expo- 
sure and  fatigue  of  travelling  through  their  woods 
and  hills. 

In  this  emergency,  the  zealous  and  primitive  Bishop 
proposed  the  establishment  of  a  Seminary  specially 
adapted  to  tlie  wants  of  his  own  Diocese :  and  after 
unavailing  ellbrts  to  raise  suflicient  funds  for  this  pur- 
pose in  his  own  land,  he  resolved  to  make  an  appeal 
in  person  to  England — the  land  of  his  forefathers.  He 
has  himself  recently  written  a  full  narrative  of  the  cir- 
cumstances which  led  to  this  decision,  and  of  the 
wonderful  manner  in  which  God  brought  him  through 


1823.]  REACHES  LONDON.  235 

a  multitude  of  difficulties  in  the  persevering  prosecu- 
tion of  his  great  object. 

He  left  his  diocese  with  the  prayers  of  his  Clergy, 
and  with  their  concurrence  in  his  plans ;  and  being 
commended  by  them  to  the  grace  of  God,  set  out  on 
his  long  and  anxious  journey.  But  as  he  approached 
New  York,  the  opposition  to  his  scheme  thickened 
around  him,  on  the  ground  that  his  projected  Semi- 
nary was  likely  to  stand  in  the  way  of  the  success  of 
the  General  Theological  Seminary  lately  instituted  in 
that  city,  and  designed  for  all  the  Dioceses  of  the 
United  States.  As  he  knew,  however,  that  this  oppo- 
sition proceeded  from  men  who  had  not  seen,  nor 
felt,  nor  suffered  as  he  had  himself,  in  witnessing  the 
grievous  destitution  of  his  own  peculiar  charge,  he 
persevered  in  his  own  course  in  simple  reliance  on 
Him  who  had  hitherto  been  his  guide. 

In  November,  1823,  the  Bishop  reached  London — 
"a  world  within  itself" — he  writes — "  and  not  a  soul 
within  its  vast  bosom  with  whom  he  had  the  least 
acquaintance  ;  and,  what  was  more,  none  had  ever 
heard  of  him  but  through  a  hostile  medium."  He 
found  that  the  opposition  which  he  had  encountered  at 
New  York  had  already  found  its  way  to  this  centre  of 
influence,  had  poisoned  the  minds  of  all  who  had 
heard  of  his  intended  visit,  and  prejudiced  them  against 
him.  His  claims,  however,  upon  Christian  sympathy, 
and  the  justice  of  his  cause,  were  readily  acknowledged 
when  the  state  of  the  case  was  understood ;  and  with 
a  very  few  exceptions,  if  any,  prejudice  gave  way  to 
zealous  co-operation  in  his  behalf.    This  was  the  case 


236  INTERVIEW  WITH  MR.  PRATT.  [CuAr.  XIII. 

with  Lord  Gambler,  to  whom  the  Bishop  brought 
letters  of  introduction  from  a  friend  of  his  Lordship's 
in  America ;  and  no  less  so  with  ]\Ir.  Pratt,  to  whose 
notice  Lord  Gambier  commended  the  Bishop  and  his 
plans.  His  first  interview  with  Mr.  Pratt  was  at  his 
residence  in  Doughty  Street  on  the  9th  of  Dec,  and  is 
thus  graphically  described  by  the  Bishop  in  his 
recently  published  "  Reminiscences  "  : — 

"  With  wliat  anxious  steps  he  was  the  bearer  of  Lord 
Gambier's  letter  to  this  good  man,  needs  not  be  told.  Giving 
in  his  name,  he  was  shewn  directly  to  the  study  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  With  books  and 
papers  all  around  a  well-lighted  room,  warmed  by  a  cheerful 
fire,  and  furnished  with  a  good-sized  table,  having  a  well- 
brushed  cloth,  occupied  by  some  maps,  a  recent  number  of  the 
[Missionary]  Register,  and  some  manuscript  papers,  in  8vo 
form,  all  neatly  written  on  one  side  of  it  for  the  press,  the 
whole  piled  away  in  two  or  three  parcels,  and  all  the  extra 
waste  papers  torn  to  small  pieces  and  thrown  down  on  the 
floor — there  he  was,  as  the  writer  suddenly,  perhaps  unex- 
pectedly, entered  the  room.  Turning  round  and  facing  the 
door,  he  saw  a  man  approach  of  no  ordinary  size,  and  evidently 
no  inhabitant  of  London,  and  against  whom,  as  he  has  since 
remarked,  he  was  very  much  prejudiced.  A  civil  bow  was 
interchanged,  and  the  letter  from  Lord  Gambier  presented. 
The  very  sight  of  a  good  man's  writing  will  light  up  a  smile  in 
tlie  face  of  a  congenial  spirit." 

Mr.  Pratt  examined  the  papers  which  the  Bishop 
laid  before  him,  entered  at  large  into  conversation 
upon  the  topics  connected  with  his  object,  and  was  so 
fully  convinced  of  the  excellence  of  his  cause,  that  he 
did  not  hesitate,  even  at  the  first  interview,  to  assure 


1823.]  MR.  TRATT'S  ZEALOUS  SUPPORT.  237 

the  Bishop  that  he  had  his  best  wishes,  and  should 
liave  his  best  endeavours  to  aid  him  in  his  great 
design.  This  promise  was  speedily  fulfdled,  and  the 
Rishop,  in  grateful  recollection  of  the  assistance  he 
derived  from  this  source,  enters  his  record  in  the  fol- 
lowing marked  language  :  —  "  The  exact  day  and 
hour  of  the  writer's  introduction  to  the  Rev.  Josiah 
Pratt,  of  London,  are  recorded  both  on  paper  and 
in  the  memory.  That  record  ought  to  be  per- 
manent, for  the  event  is  among  the  most  important 
of  his  whole  life,  as  the  sequel  of  this  Memoir  will 
shew." 

Bishop  Chase  continued  in  town  a  month  after  his 
introduction  to  Mr.  Pratt,  during  which  time  they  had 
repeated  interviews  for  maturing  the  Bishop's  plans, 
and  taking  measures  to  lay  them  before  the  public  in 
the  way  best  calculated  to  ensure  success.  Mr.  Pratt, 
as  well  as  the  Bishop  himself,  was  strongly  averse  from 
doing  any  thing  that  might  provoke  an  open  contro- 
versy with  his  opponents.  It  was,  however,  as  diffi- 
cult as  it  was  desirable  to  make  such  a  full  and  fair 
representation  of  the  circumstances  and  necessities  of 
the  diocese  of  Ohio  as  would  meet  objections,  and  also 
call  forth  the  sympathy  and  aid  which  were  sought  for, 
without  in  some  way  reflecting  upon  the  conduct  of 
those  who  had  already  gained  the  ear  of  the  public  in 
opposition  to  the  Bishop's  scheme.  To  effect  this 
object  was  the  task  to  which  Mr.  Pratt  addressed  him- 
self He  wrote  to  the  leader  of  the  opposition,  inform- 
ing him  of  the  change  which  a  full  view  of  the  subject 
had  produced  in  his  own  mind  ;  and  at  the  same  time 


238  BISHOP  CHASE  ACCOMPLISHES  [Chap.  XIII. 

acquainting  him  with  Bishop  Chase's  determination 
to  maintain  peace  under  all  circumstances.  In  the 
mean  time  he  was  occupying  all  the  intervals  he 
could  snatch  from  his  pressing  engagements,  to  draw 
up  an  Appeal,  for  extensive  circulation,  to  bring  the 
pressing  wants  of  Ohio  fully  and  prominently  before 
the  public.  On  the  last  day  of  the  year  he  invited  a 
select  party  of  clerical  and  lay  friends  to  meet  the 
Bishop  at  his  house.  "His  design  was  explained," 
writes  one  who  was  present,*  "  and  more  than 
approved ;  it  was  hailed  with  hope  and  delight ; 
a  beginning  was  made,  and  chiefly  under  Mr. 
Pratt's  arrangements,  though,  as  usual,  he  allowed 
other  names  to  occupy  the  prominent  places  of 
honour." 

The  Appeal,  together  with  the  Resolutions  drawn 
up  at  this  Meeting,  was  speedily  printed  and  exten- 
sively circulated  through  the  country ;  and  on  the 
8th  of  January,  the  Bishop  left  London,  on  an  exten- 
sive tour  to  plead  his  cause  in  person.  About  a  month 
after  this,  all  opposition  to  his  plans  was  withdrawn 
upon  certain  terms  of  accommodation  being  proposed 
by  the  opposing  party,  and  agreed  upon  by  the  Bishop, 
through  the  intervention  of  Mr.  Pratt. 

Every  difficulty  was  thus  at  length  surmounted ; 
six  thousand  pounds  were  raised  ;  and  the  excellent 
Bishop,  after  making  many  friends  in  England,  to 
whom  he  had  greatly  endeared  himself  by  his  apo- 
stolical spirit,  re-embarked  for  his  own  country,  having 


•  "  Christian  Observer"  for  15344,  p.  (!iJO. 


1824.]  THE  PURPOSE  OF  HIS  VISIT.  239 

realized  the  fullest  expectations  of  his  visit.     The  fol- 
lowing was  Mr.  Pratt's  farewell  letter  to  him : — 

"  London,  Doughty  Street,  July  12,  1824. 
"  RIGHT  REV.  AND  VERY  DEAR  SIR  — 

"  I  am  now  addi-essing  you,  probably,  for  the  last  time 
during  your  stay  in  our  country  ;  and  I  cannot  on  this  occa- 
sion but  recall  to  mind  the  circumstances  under  which  I  had 
the  honour  and  happiness  first  to  meet  you,  and  those  which 
have  since  occurred.  That  Divine  Master,  whose  hand  directs 
our  steps,  has  graciously  guided  you,  in  a  way  which  we  could 
not  have  anticipated,  to  a  happy  issue  of  your  difficult  under- 
taking. In  its  progress  it  lias  been  the  occasion  of  calling 
forth  much  evil  and  much  good.  May  the  evil,  whether  felt 
in  ourselves,  or  seen  in  others,  make  us  humble  before  Him, 
and  candid  in  judging  of  other  men !  And  may  the  glory  of 
all  that  is  good  be  ascribed  to  Him  to  whom  alone  it  is  due ! 

"My  wife  and  all  my  children  beg  to  unite  with  me  in 
respectful  and  affectionate  wishes  for  your  comfort  and  hap- 
piness for  many  years.  We  trust  and  pray  that  God  may  be 
pleased  to  bless  you  abundantly  in  all  your  labours  to  pro- 
mote the  salvation  of  men,  and  that  we  may  all  meet  in  that 
heavenly  world  where  it  will  be  a  great  portion  of  our  joy  to 
have  been  honoured  by  the  Divine  mercy  and  goodness  in 
promoting  on  earth  the  cause  of  our  God  and  Saviour. 
"  I  am  ever,  Right  Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, 

"  Your  affectionate,  humble  servant, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

In  November  of  the  same  year  the  Bishop  laid 
before  the  convention  of  his  Church,  a  report  of  the 
proceedings  and  success  of  his  long  journey  ;  and 
measures  were  speedily  taken  for  the  erection  of 
Kenyon  College,  Ohio,  which  is  become  an  Institution 


210  PHILANDER  CHASE.  [Chap.  XIII. 

of  incalculable  importance  in  its  beneficial  influence 
upon  the  Diocese  to  which  it  belongs. 

Mr.  Pratt's  interest  in  the  Bishop's  proceedings  con- 
tinued unabated  after  his  return  to  Ohio ;  and  with  a 
view  of  still  further  promoting  the  cause,  he  prepared 
a  short  Memoir  of  the  life  and  character  of  the  Bishop's 
son,  the  Rev.  Philander  Chase,  who  died  during  his 
father's  visit  to  England.  Another  occasion  will 
occur  for  mentioning  this  truly  apostolic  man,  when 
he  re-visited  this  country  as  Bishop  of  Illinois,  and  Mr. 
Pratt  a  second  time  espoused  his  interests. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

1802—1823. 

MR.  PRATT     IN     HIS    DOMESTIC     RELATIONSHIP-!,     AND     HIS     PRIVATE     AND 
SOCIAL   HABITS. 

Little  reference  has  yet  been  made  to  Mr.  Pratt's 
domestic  and  social  relationships ;  and  yet  it  is  here 
that  we  must  look  for  the  most  undisguised  develope- 
ment  of  a  man's  genuine  qualities.  This  will  be  a 
suitable  place  to  pause  in  our  narrative,  and  shew 
that  while  Mr.  Pratt  w  as  so  much  an  object  of  public 
observation  and  esteem,  he  practised  what  he  preached ; 
and  that  in  his  private  no  less  than  in  his  public  walk, 
he  is  deserving  of  affectionate  and  respectful  re- 
membrance. 

The  praise  of  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  eminently 
belonged  to  him,  of  having  ^^  commanded  his  children 
and  his  household  after  him,  that  they  should  keep 
the  way  of  the  Lord."  He  felt  that  an  authority  was 
committed  to  him  as  the  head  of  a  household,  which 
he  was  bound  to  exercise  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
present  and  eternal  welfare  of  every  inmate  of  his 
dwelling ;  and  that  authority  he  did  exercise  :  he 
tolerated  no  evil  thing,  and  expected  all  to  conform 
cheerfully  to  those  family  arrangements  which  he 
deemed  expedient.  Yet  authority  was,  in  him,  happily 
tempered  with  unvarying  kindness  and  tender  consi- 
deration. Though  naturally  of  a  sanguine  tempera- 
ment,   which    occasionally  shewed   itself  in    warmth 

R 


212  MR.  PRATT  IN  IIIS  FAMILY.  [Cuap.  XIY. 

of  manner  and  expression  ;  yet  there  was  much  less  of 
this,  than  we  commonly  find  associated  with  great  force 
of  character  and  incessant  toil ;  and  his  transparent 
integrity  of  purpose  and  hearty  good-will  prevented 
any  unpleasant  impression  being  harboured. 

He  himself  set  the  example  of  what  he  expected 
from  others  :  "  not  slothful  in  business,  fervent  in  spirit, 
serving  the  Lord  ;"  "  an  example  to  all  in  word,  in 
conversation,  in  charity,  in  spirit,  in  faith,  in  purity." 
He  rose  punctually  at  six,  summer  and  winter ;  and 
soon  after  roused  the  rest  of  the  family :  he  was  the 
first  dow'n  stairs,  wiien  he  repaired  to  his  study :  at 
eight  he  assembled  the  family  for  worship,  which  lasted 
about  twenty  minutes :  at  half-past  eight  in  the  evening 
he  shut  his  door  about  him,  and  at  nine  assembled  the 
family.  He  deemed  it  of  the  utmost  importance  to 
secure  time  for  reading  the  Scriptures  and  devotion, 
before  the  senses  were  overpowered  with  fatigue  and 
drow^siness.    In  later  life,he  retired  a  short  time  at  noon. 

He  admired  and  defended  Mr.  Cecil's  views  of 
domestic  life,  though  he  admitted  that  they  had  been 
distorted  and  abused  by  persons  of  a  severe  and  un- 
amiable  disposition.  But  never  was  man  more  affec- 
tionate than  he,  as  a  husband  and  a  father.  Memory 
can  still  recall  the  scene,  when,  in  fear  of  losing  the 
beloved  partner  of  his  counsels,  cares,  and  joys,  he 
gathered  his  children  together,  and  with  abundant 
tears  committed  our  common  affliction  to  the  Lord. 
Memory  also  can  recall  minute  instances  of  parental 
affection,  in  his  doles  of  money  and  other  presents  to 
his  children,  in  his  walks  with  them  before  breakfast, 


1802-1823.]  MR.  PRATT  IN  HIS  FAMILY.  21;$ 

in  lively  anecdotes  told  and  re-told  with  a  peculiar 
buoyancy  of  countenance  and  manner.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  full  occupation  of  his  time  and  thoughts,  he 
was  most  faithful  for  years  in  bringing  his  children 
Scotch-cake  whenever  he  passed  a  certain  shop ;  and 
though  he  were  in  conversation  at  the  time  with  a 
friend,  he  would  break  off,  saying,  "  I  must  not  forget 
my  children."  His  tenderness  on  one  occasion  is  still 
fresh  in  the  recollection.  One  of  his  children  was 
repeating  a  lesson  to  him,  which  was  very  ill  learnt. 
Finding  that  the  child  w^as  suffering  under  a  degree  of 
bodily  languor,  though  w'ithout  real  illness,  he  first 
took  her  on  his  knee  to  repeat  the  lesson  ;  and  finally, 
when  patience  failed  to  produce  the  desired  result,  he 
gave  up  the  attempt,  and  taking  the  child  into  the 
next  room,  he  placed  her  in  his  own  bed,  to  recover 
the  spirits  which  had  been  overtaxed.  He  would 
sometimes,  at  their  earnest  entreaties,  sit  down  to  the 
piano,  and  play  "  God  save  the  King "  in  a  spirited 
manner,  and  his  "  one  March  " ;  which  was  the  extent 
of  his  performance  in  the  musical  line,  though  he  had 
an  excellent  ear  for  music,  and  a  very  good  bass  and 
tenor  voice. 

As  his  children  grew  up,  consisting  of  two  sons  and 
four  daughters,  he  manifested  a  most  anxious  regard 
to  their  spiritual  welfare.  Though  he  repudiated  the 
notion,  that  spiritual  regeneration  always  and  neces- 
sarily accompanies  the  outward  and  visible  sign,  as 
having  no  foundation  in  Scripture  or  in  the  language 
of  the  Church  when  rightly  understood  ;  yet  he  felt 
great  confidence,  that  a  believing  and  persevering  use 

r2 


244  MR.  PRATT  IN  lllS  FAMILY.  [CuAr.  XIV. 

of  all  the  appointed  means  of  grace,  coupled  with  a 
wise  and  consistent  example  in   the  parents,  would 
generally   result   in    the    child's    becoming    a    true 
Christian.     His  own  example  was  certainly  well  cal- 
culated  to   impress  his    children  with  the   supreme 
importance   of  religion.     And  there  was  a  strict  and 
steady  propriety  in  all  the  parts  of  his  conduct  towards 
them,  which  few,  perhaps,  have  been  so  well  able  to 
maintain  as  he  did,  without  varying  to  the  extremes 
of  severity  or  indulgence.     He  was  not  to  be  trifled 
with ;  and  yet  he  admitted  them  to  a  great  degree  of 
confidence.     The  important  objects  which  engrossed 
his  own  attention,  and  even  many  of  the  anxious  ques- 
tions which  at  times  weighed  upon  his  mind,  were 
known   and  talked  of  in  his   family,  and  made   the 
topics  of  combined  supplication  and  thanksgiving  at 
the  throne  of  grace.     He  encouraged  a  spontaneous 
confession   of  their  faults  by  the   assurance,  that  he 
should  always  be  much  less  displeased  if  they  were 
truthful  and  ingenuous,  than  if  they  tried  to  conceal 
or  palliate  their  faults.     Sometimes  he  would  make 
direct  appeals  to  their  consciences :  for  example,  to 
one  of  his  children  he  made  the  following  remarks  : — 

"  I  observed,"  he  said,  "  you  and talking  togethei"  when 

I  came  into  the  Missionary  Meeting  last  night.  This  is  a  bad 
preparation  for  entering  upon  so  solemn  a  duty,  as  it  regards 
your  own  mind :  it  should  be  with  much  prayer  :  we  do  not  come 
together  for  momentary  excitement ;  but  to  increase  the  sjririt 
of  prayer.  But  the  effect  also  on  the  person  who  officiates  is 
very  great.  You  can  have  no  idea,  how  much  he  who  prays 
depends  on  the  spirit  and  temper  of  those  around  him.  Sup- 
pose he  has  a  dozen  friends  with  him,  whom  he  knows  to  be 


1S02— ISJS.]  MK.  PRATT  IN   IIIS  FAMILV.  245 

of  humble,  praying,  fervent  minds — who  accompany  him, 
and,  as  it  ■were,  anticipate  him  in  every  petition ;  how  much 
more  freedom  does  he  enjoy,  than  when  he  feels  himself  among 
careless,  irreverent  people :  he  then  has  to  pray  up-hill.  And 
even  if  he  is  not  acquainted  with  the  temper  of  those  about 
him,  his  mind  is  inlluenced  :  for  the  Spirit  of  God  is  present 
according  as  His  assistance  and  holy  influences  are  sought  for ; 
so  that  if  the  people  come  together  in  an  unthinking,  unpraying 
state,  the  minister  experiences  comparatively  little  or  no  assis- 
tance. He  finds  it  difficult  to  pray  :  he  feels  a  weight,  but  he 
does  not  know  w4iy." 

The  reproof  was  deeply  felt,  and  was  immediately 
afterwards  noted  down,  so  that  its  accuracy  can  be 
depended  on. 

He  accustomed  his  children  to  commit  large  por- 
tions of  Scripture  to  memory  for  pecuniary  rewards. 
He  was  led  to  this  practice  by  having  been  himself, 
when  a  boy,  similarly  induced  by  his  own  father  to 
learn  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  with  singular  benefit 
to  himself  in  after  life.  He  took  advantage  of  their 
occasional  absence  from  home  to  write  letters  to  them. 
The  following  specimens  shall  close  this  brief  view  of 
his  domestic  character :  although  simply  addressed  to 
his  own  children,  and  designed  for  their  individual 
and  personal  benefit,  they  contain  so  much  calculated 
to  profit  the  general  reader,  that  no  apology  need  be 
made  for  their  introduction  in  this  place. 

Tu  his  Eldest  Daughter. 

"  LoNDOX,  May  29,  1817. 
"my  dearest  CAROLINE  — 

"  I  have  often  thought  of  you  since  you  have  been  away 
from  us :  indeed  there  is  scarcelv  a  day  when  I  do  not  think  of 


246  CORRESPONDENCE  [Chap.  XIV. 

you  several  times ;  though,  as  you  know,  I  am  so  busy,  that  I 
have  few  minutes  at  ray  command.  But  it  is  my  comfort  to 
know,  that  you  have  a  Father  in  heaven  who  never  has  you  out 
of  His  eye ;  and  I  pray  to  Him  very  frequently  for  you,  and 
mention  your  name  before  Him,  and  tell  my  Heavenly  Father, 
and  that  dear  Saviour  who  shed  His  precious  blood  for  us,  how 
anxious  I  am  that  you  may  be  led,  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  see  your  sinfulness,  and  your  need  of  Christ ;  and 
that  you  may  be  brought  more  and  more  to  love  prayer,  and 
the  Bible,  and  the  ways  and  people  of  God,  and  may  follow  all 
your  dear  and  honoured  relatives  to  heaven,  and  may  meet  us 
there.  And  your  Mamma  and  I  pray  together  often  for  you, 
that  God  would  give  you  and  Josiah  and  your  sisters  and  John 
these  blessings.  So  that  you  must  not  think  that  I  ever  forget 
you,  though  I  have  not  written  to  you  before.      *      ♦      * 

"  It  will  please  God,  I  hope,  to  make  your  visit  useful  to 
you,  both  in  body  and  soul ;  so  that  you  may  return  home  with 
good  spirits  and  health,  and  with  a  mind  full  of  love  to  that 
Saviour,  whom  Dr.  P'earon,  as  you  hear  in  his  sermons,  holds 
forth,  as  I  do,  as  the  only  refuge  for  sinners.  Indeed,  I  cannot 
wish  you,  my  dear  child,  any  happiness  so  great  as  that  of 
knowing  and  loving  Christ,  as  your  Saviour  and  your  way  to 
the  Father.  Never  let  a  morning  or  an  evening  pass  without 
earnest  prayer :  and  when  any  thing  troubles  you,  or  when  you 
can  get  an  opportunity  in  the  course  of  the  day,  bend  your 
knees,  and,  in  the  words  which  your  heart  will  suggest,  under 
the  gracious  guidance  of  that  good  Spirit  who  'helpeth  our 
infirmities,'  tell  your  loving  Saviour  what  you  need.  And  on  a 
Sunday  afternoon  your  ISIamma  and  I  particularly  wish  you, 
and  Josiah  also,  and  each  of  the  others,  as  they  grow  older,  to 
retire  to  your  rooms,  and  to  examine  your  own  hearts,  and  read 
the  Scriptures,  and  pray.  You  are  getting  now  very  near  the 
age  when  it  will  be  proper  for  you  to  be  confirmed,  and  so  take 
on  yourself,  by  Divine  strength,  the  solemn  vows  of  your  bap- 
tism.    But  we  shall  speak  to  you  of  this  when  the  time  comes. 


18 IS.]  WITH  HIS  CHILDREN.  247 

"  May  our  God  ever  bless   you,  and  keep  you,  and  at  last 
bring  you,  of  His  infinite  grace  and  goodness,  to  heaven  !" 

To  the  same. 

"  London,  July  IG,  1818. 
"  I  cannot  refuse  your  request  that  I  would  write  to  you, 
though  I  scarcely  know  how  to  get  a  few  minutes  from  my  pre- 
sent incessant  labour.  But  it  is  labour  that  is  its  own  reward, 
because  it  is  in  the  service  of  the  most  gracious  Master,  and  tends 
to  promote  His  glory  in  the  salvation  of  perishing  sinners  :  and 
I  desire  ever  to  account  it  the  highest  honour  which  can  be  be- 
stowed upon  me,  to  be  made,  in  any  measure,  an  instrument  of 
making  known  His  blessed  name.  Yet  a  burden  is  laid  upon 
me,  as  you  know,  which  sometimes  presses  me  hard,  though  I 
have  comforts  and  supports  by  the  way  which  make  me  go 
happily  forward.  But  I  have  no  greater  comfort  than  the  firm 
hope,  that  my  God  is  the  God  of  my  family,  and  my  Saviour 
and  Sanctifier  theirs  also.  Many  and  many  prayers  have  your 
Mamma  and  I  poured  out  for  you  all ;  for  we  regularly  and  con- 
stantly pray  for  you :  and  I  trust  that  our  gracious  and  merci- 
ful Saviour  has  accepted  them,  and  will  grant  us,  in  His  good 
time,  the  happy  and  blessed  sight  of  seeing  you  all  walking  in 
the  way  of  righteousness.  Your  letter  to  your  Mamma  gave  us 
both  the  most  sincere  pleasure,  as  it  satisfied  us  that  our  Hea- 
venly Teacher  is  shewing  you  your  need  of  mercy  and  grace, 
and  is  opening  your  mind  to  discern  the  things  which  belong 
to  your  peace.  You  must  not  expect  to  understand  these 
things  fully  till  after  a  long  course  of  experience  of  the  folly 
and  deceitfulness  of  your  heart,  the  malice  and  subtlety  of 
Satan,  the  allurements  of  the  world,  and  yet  the  gracious  for- 
bearance and  ready  assistance  which  your  Lord  will  ever  afibrd. 
Nay,  I  should  not  have  implied  that  you  could,  after  any  expe- 
rience in  this  world,  fiiUij  understand  the  things  which  are 
freely  given  to  us  of  God.  Vse  shall  go  on,  I  doubt  not,  to 
eternity  making  fresh  discoveries  of  the  goodness  and  love  of 


24S  CORRESPONDENCE  [Ciiap.  XIV. 

God  in  the  whole  provision  for  our  salvation.  But  it  rejoices 
my  heart,  my  dear  child,  that  the  Saviour,  who  taught  by  His 
Spirit  so  many  of  those  from  whom  you  sprang,  and  many  of 
whom  are  now  '  passed  into  the  skies*,'  has  taken  you  into  His 
school.  He  is  the  best  Teacher  who  is  our  '  wisdom.'  But  I 
think,  from  your  letter,  that  you  have  something  to  learn  of 
His  being  made  of  God  to  us  *  righteousness  and  sanctifica- 
tion  :'  something,  indeed,  of  this  great  mystery  of  godliness 
you  will  always  have  to  learn ;  but  I  mean  something  that  you 
may  now  learn,  and  which  is  necessary  to  your  solid  comfort  of 
mind.  Strive  to  be  good  and  to  do  good :  'strive  to  enter  in 
at  the  straight  gate:'  watch  your  heart  and  your  motives: 
wrestle  earnestly  with  God  in  prayer  for  the  forgiveness  of  your 
sins  through  the  death  of  your  Saviour,  and  for  the  enlighten- 
ing and  sanctifying  of  your  soul  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  then 
you  must  distinguish  between  the  work  which  your  Saviour 
has  done /or  you,  and  that  which,  by  His  grace  and  Spirit,  He 
toill  work  iji  you.  The  holiness  which  He  will  work  in  you 
will  still  be  imperfect :  it  is  not  the  ground  of  your  acceptance 
with  God  ;  it  never  can  be  :  you  are  pardoned,  accepted,  justi- 
fied, accounted  righteous,  only  for  the  sake  of  the  sufferings 
and  perfect  obedience  of  the  Saviour  for  you  and  in  your  stead  : 
this  is  justification.  But  then  the  faith  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
will  give  you,  wherewith  to  lay  hold  on  Christ,  is  a  faith  which 
worketh  by  love,  and  will  lead  you  to  ask,  more  and  more,  for 
sanctifying  grace  ;  and,  all  your  life  long,  you  will  feel  the 
striving  of  this  grace  against  your  fallen  and  corrupt  nature ; 
as  you  find,  Rom.  vii.  7 — 25.  But  your  Saviour  will  conquer 
in  and  for  you,  and  will  become  your  Redeemer  from  all  ene- 
mies, as  well  as  your  Righteousness  to  justify  you,  and  the 
Spring  of  your  sanctification  in  sending  His  Holy  Spirit. 
There  is  a  treatise  of  Bishop  Hall's,  in  the  eighth  volume  of 
his  works,  called  *  Christ  Mystical :'  read  that  when  you  have 
opportunity.  You  will  find  much  in  it  that  may,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  lead  you  to  see  more  of  Jesus  than  you  yet  do. 


1318.]  WITH  HIS  CHILDREN.  249 

Pray,  my  dear  Caroline,  for  a  deep  sense  of  your  need  of  Him, 
and  for  a  lively  faith  whereby  to  embrace  Him,  and  a  heart 
wholly  devoted  to  Him,  constrained  by  His  love.  It  is  this 
which  makes  religion  deliglitful.  It  is  this  which  enables  us 
to  look  up  with  happy  confidence  and  holy  joy  in  God  as  our 
Father.  May  our  God  graciously  lead  you  and  your  brothers 
and  sister^  into  the  full  enjoyment  of  His  Fatherly  love  through 
Christ,  and  bring  you  all  to  His  heavenly  kingdom!" 

To  /lis  Second  Daughter. 

"  London,  July  16,  1818. 
"  We  have  been  very  glad  to  hear  of  and  from  you  from  time 
to  time;  and  now  begin  to  think  of  your  coming  home  again. 
Josiah  has  just  broken  up,  and  we  are  all  now  at  Hampstead, 
though   I   date   from  London.      There  is,  however,   an   odd- 
shaped  sort  of  three-cornered  room  into  which  we  can  put  Ca- 
roline and  you,  though  you  must  be  very  careful  to  tell  all  your 
secrets  before  you  come,  or  we  shall  overhear  them.    »    ♦    «    * 
Well ;   I  did  not  mean  to  say  so  much  about  secret-keeping, 
nor  indeed  any  thing,  but  it  came  in   by  the  mention  of  the 
room,  and  I  mean  what  I  say  for  your  good ;  because  it  will 
help  you  very  much  to  know  whether  things  are  right  or  wrong, 
if  you  will  ask  yourself  about  them — *  Should  I  be  afraid  or 
ashamed  if  my  Papa  and  Mamma   knew  this  ?'       Vou   may 
depend  on  it,  my  dear  Charlotte,  that  if  you  suffer  your  mind  to 
think  about  any  thing,  or  your  wishes  to  dwell  on  any  thing, 
or  if  you  say  any  thing,  or  do  any  thing,  or  omit  to  do  any 
thing  that  you  know  to  be  right,  and,  on  asking  yourself  the 
question  which   I   have   supposed  about  these  thoughts,  and 
wishes,  and  doings,  and  omissions,  your  mind  shrinks  back 
from  the  thought  of  our  knowing  these  things,  you  are  in  a 
wrong  way,  and  must,  without  delay,  dismiss  these  things,  and 
pray  to  your  Saviour  to  give  you  the  grace  of  His  Holy  Spirit 
to  make  you  fear  and  love  your  Heavenly  Father.     I  hope  you 
do  pray  sincerely  and  constantly.      You  are   now  getting  a 


2.-,0  CORRESPONDENCE  [Chap.  XIV. 

great  girl,  and  are  full  of  health  and  vigour ;  and  our  Lord 
looks  at  children  like  you  with  pity  and  kindness.  He  pities 
you  because  you  are  fallen  and  sinful  creatures,  with  proud 
and  vain  and  heedless  minds,  and  yet  numberless  sins  on  your 
head,  which  will  assuredly  sink  you  in  eternal  destruction  if 
they  are  not  forgiven  you,  and  your  heart  made  new.  But  then 
He  loves  as  well  as  pities  ;  and  gave  Himself  for  us,  an  offering 
and  a  sacrifice  to  God :  and  every  sinful  and  foolish  thought 
that  you  indulge,  and  every  neglect  of  private  duty,  and  all  in- 
difference to  your  Saviour — these  are  like  despising  Christ,  and 
saying  to  Him,  as  the  rebellious  people  in  the  parable  did, 
*  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us.' 

"  Now  you  will  be  called  in  a  very  few  years,  my  dear  Char- 
lotte, to  go,  as  your  brother  and  sister  have  lately  done,  to 
take  on  you,  by  the  grace  of  God,  the  solemn  vows  made  for 
you  at  your  baptism.  Your  brother  and  sister  have  both,  I 
trust,  been  very  sincere,  and  serious,  and  humble,  in  what  they 
have  done ;  and  our  Saviour  has,  we  hope,  taken  them  under 
His  blessed  care:  and  we  pray  and  trust  that  He  will  receive 
you  all.  But  do  not  wait  one  hour  without  going  to  Him.  Do 
not  think  that  you  need  not  be  so  serious  before  you  are  con- 
firmed. You  may  die  in  a  year,  or  a  month,  or  a  week  ;  and 
after  death,  come  when  that  will,  must  come  the  judgment. 
Fly,  therefore,  to  Christ :  read  some  portion  of  the  Bible  in 
private,  morning  and  evening :  pray  to  your  Lord  to  open  your 
understanding,  and  awaken  your  conscience,  and  draw  your 
heart  by  His  Holy  Spirit.  Give  yourself  up  to  Christ  with 
your  whole  soul.  You  may  be  lively,  and  cheerful,  and  happy 
still ;  nay,  you  will  then  be  really  happy ;  and  you  will  make 
us  happy,  for  our  hearts,  and  those  of  your  grandmamma  and 
other  friends,  are  deeply  concerned :  and  we  pray  very  much 
that  you  may  all  have  the  happiness  which  we  have  now,  and 
which  many  of  your  honoured  relatives  have  had  on  earth,  who 
are  now  in  heaven  with  their  Saviour :  and  we  pray  that  we 
may  all,  through  the  gracious  mercy  of  God,  having  our  sins 


1321.]  WITH  HIS  CHILDREN.  251 

washed  away  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  our  souls  regene- 
rated and  sanctified  by  His  Holy  Spirit,  at  last  meet  in 
that  world  where  we  shall  unite  to  praise  God  and  the  Lamb 
for  ever. 

"  I  have  taken  the  opportunity,  my  dear  Charlotte,  of  writ- 
ing these  things  to  you,  that  you  may  look  at  what  I  write 
again  and  again,  and  may  pray  to  your  Heavenly  Father  to  call 
you,  by  His  grace,  to  be  His  obedient  servant  and  loving 
child." 

A  very  instructive  feature  in  his  correspondence 
with  his  children — and  one,  of  the  great  value  and 
comfort  of  which  they  can  all  with  gratitude  and 
praise  to  God  happily  testify — was  his  invariable 
practice  of  assuring  them,  that,  without  ceasing,  he  had 
remembrance  of  them  daily  in  his  prayers  before  God. 
The  following  letter  of  advice  was  written  to  his  eldest 
son  upon  entering  on  a  college  life ;  and  we  trace  in 
this  as  in  the  former  letters  the  same  paternal  desire 
that  his  children  should  grow  up  in  the  fear  of  God 
and  the  service  of  their  Saviour.  His  son  had  been 
educated  at  St.  Paul's  School,  and  had  never  before 
this  occasion  left  home  for  any  length  of  time. 

"London,  Oct.  IG,  1821. 
"  MY  DEAR  JOSIAH — 

"  As  you  are  now,  for  the  first  time,  on  the  point  of  leaving 
your  father's  roof,  to  become,  in  some  measure,  your  own 
master,  I  think  it  best  to  put  on  paper  the  substance  of  what 
I  have  said  to  you,  particularly  with  regard  to  your  mode  of 
spending  your  Sundays  at  College.  It  is  a  great  source  of 
comfort  and  gratitude  to  me  and  your  mother,  that  we  have 
reason  to  hope  that  God  our  Saviour  has  given  you  a  sincere 
desire  to  devote  your  life  to  Him ;  and  it  is  our  constant 
prayer  for  you,  and  for  your  sisters    and  brother,   that   He 


2j2  CORRESPONDENCE  [Cuai.  XIV. 

would  sanctify  you  all  to  His  service.  That  service  we  find 
to  be  perfect  freedom ;  and  we  are  easy  and  happy  only  in  pro- 
portion as  we  live  near  to  Him,  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  faith  and  love. 

"  For  your  Daily  Course,  let  me  urge  you  to  attend  to  all 
your  College  duties  with  seriousness  and  punctuality.  That 
the  blessing  of  God  may  rest  on  you  in  them,  spend  conscien- 
tiously and  devoutly  a  portion  of  time  (say  half  an  hour  at  the 
least),  every  morning  and  evening,  in  reading  the  Scriptures  in 
regular  order,  without  a  commentary,  for  devotional  purposes, 
and  in  meditation  and  prayer.  At  noon,  and  as  opportunities 
serve,  or  as  difficulties  and  trials  come  on  you,  shut  your  door 
about  you,  and  pour  out  your  heart  to  your  Father  in  heaven. 
So  will  every  day  be  spent  with  God  and  to  His  glory. 

"  In  such  a  course  as  this,  go  on,  with  confidence  and  cou- 
rage. Let  no  difficulties  in  your  College  work  dismay  you.  Do 
always  the  best  that  you  can,  and  then  be  quite  satisfied  that 
I  shall  be  pleased  and  thankful,  whatever  results  may  follow. 

"  But  to  your  Sundays  I  would  particularly  call  your  atten- 
tion. On  your  manner  of  spending  them  very  much  of  your 
best  interests  will  depend.  I  am  persuaded,  therefore,  that  you 
will  accept  from  me  the  following  Hints  with  readiness,  and  en- 
deavour to  make  them  yoin-  guide  : — 

"  1.  Rise  always  in  sufficient  time  to  spend  half  an  hour  in 
private  reading  and  prayer  before  College  Chapel. 

**  2.  From  breakfast  till  church  time  read  the  Scriptures  in 
regular  order,  with  Scott's  Commentary.  If  a  pious  and  judi- 
cious friend  would  agree  to  do  this  with  you,  breakfasting  with 
each  other  alternately  for  this  purpose,  it  might  be  mutually 
beneficial. 

"  S.  Attend  Trinity  Church  in  the  morning. 

"  4.  Attend  the  University  Church  in  the  afternoon. 

"  5.  Take  an  outline  of  the  sermons  which  you  hear. 

"  6.  After  College  prayers  in  the  evening,  always  drink  tea 
alone,  and  spend  till  nine  in  retirement.     Let  this  be  a  season 


1.S22.]  WITH  HIS  CHILDREN.  253 

for  thinking  over  the  week  past,  and  looking  forward  to  the 
week  coining  on.  Remember  us  all  in  prayer,  and  look  to  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  enlarge  your  views  of  your  Heavenly  Feather's 
love  and  your  Saviour's  grace,  and  to  awaken  zeal  for  the  sal- 
vation of  a  lost  world.  If  the  following  Sunday  be  Sacrament 
Sunday  (which  always  attend),  let  your  thoughts  be  turned 
particularly  toward  that  sacred  ordinance.  Let  some  excellent 
author  be  always  in  hand ;  such  as  Milner,  Hopkins,  Leighton, 

Hall,  &c. 

•  **»**» 

"  May  the  God  of  your  fathers  be  with  you !  and  every  day 
and  every  hour  may  the  Spirit  of  Christ  rest  on  you  !  These 
are  the  hearty  prayers  for  you,  my  dear  Josiah,  of 

"  Your  affectionate  father." 

Twelve  months  later,  when  his  son  was  entering  on 
his  second  year  at  the  University,  he  wrote  : — 

"»*••*  Never  forget  my  leading  maxim — Do  all 
things  which  you  ought  to  do,  and  do  them  in  the  best  way 
that  you  are  able  ;  and  then  cheerfully  leave  the  issue  to  Him 
ivhom  you  serve.     «     «     *     *     ♦ 

"  Cultivate  those  important  virtues,  Prudent  Forethought  and 
Resolute  Punctuality.  It  is  my  daily  prayer  for  you,  that  you 
may  be  graciously  prepared  for  that  high  and  holy  work  to 
which  our  lives  are,  I  trust,  devoted ;  and  it  is  the  lively  sense 
of  your  obligation  to  serve  your  Heavenly  Master,  which  must 
supply  a  daily  and  hourly  stimulus  to  your  mind. 

"  There  are  five  things  which  you  must  daily  attend  to — 
devotion,  study,  exercise,  diet,  and  rest.  Remember  that  you 
are  working  for  a  gracious  Master.  May  His  eye  ever  be  on 
you  for  good ! " 

The  following  letter  was  addressed  to  his  son  on 
coming  of  age.  It  was  written  from  Clifton,  whither 
he  had  gone  to  preach  and  attend  a  fleeting  in  behalf 


251  CORRESPONDENCE  [Chap.  XIV. 

of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  at  the  Tenth  Anni- 
versary of  their  Association  : — 

"  Clifion,  March  23,  1823. 
"my  dear  josiah — 

"  The  clock  is  just  going  to  strike  twelve,  at  midnight  of  the 
22nd,  so  that  I  shall  have  entered  on  your  birthday  before  I 
conclude.     I  was  not  aware  that  this  was  the  day,  till  your 
mother,  in  a  letter  received  this  morning,  mentioned  it ;   I  would 
otherwise  have  written  to  you  in  time  for  you  to  have  heard  from 
me  on  this  day.     However,  I  will  now  express  to  you  somewhat 
of  those  feelings  and  wishes,  which  the  information  awakened 
toward  you.     Had  you  been  born   to  a  great  estate  in  this 
world,  we  should  all  have  not  only  known  and  thought  of  the 
day,  but  mighty  preparations  would   have  been  made  to  cele- 
brate the  joyful  occasion.     I  trust,  however,  that  though  God, 
in  His  good  providence,  has  withheld  this  from  you,  yet  that 
He  has  made  you  heir  of  a  better  inheritance  even  in  this  world, 
and  of  one  that  is  '  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not 
away,'  reserved  for  you  in  heaven.     You  have  the   blood  of 
saints,  now  '  made  like  unto  the  angels,'  in  your  veins,  and  in- 
herit the  rich  blessing  of  their  prayers  when  on  earth,  and  of 
the  prayers  of  others  who  are  living.     For  myself,  I  commit 
you  daily  to  God,  and  to   His  covenant  mercy  and  love,  and 
doubt  not  but  He  will  hear,  and  prepare  you  for  His  heavenly 
kingdom.     What  service  our  Lord  may  be  pleased  to  appoint 
you  on  earth,  we  leave  to  His  wisdom  and  grace :   but  whether 
He  lead  you  to  labour  at  home  or  abroad,  our  chief  desire  and 
prayer  is,  that  He  would,  by  His  Holy  Spirit,  fit  you  for  His 
service,  and  abundantly  bless  you  therein.     In  the  plain  path 
of  our  duty,   humbly  pursuing   our  way,  while  we  look  to  the 
pillar  and  the  cloud,  and  lean  by  faith  on  an  Almighty  arm,  let 
our  encouragement  be  the  name  of  Jehovah- Jireh — '  God  will 
provide.' 

"  You    will    have  heard  from   your   mother  on  this  happy 
occasion.     She  will  have  poured  out  (he  affectionate  wishes  of 


18-23.]  WITH  HIS  CHILDREN.  255 

her  heart  for  you,  as  slie  often  does  her  prayers.  They  are 
some  of  our  happiest  seasons  when,  every  Sunday,  we  unite 
in  prayer  for  you  all,  mentioning  your  peculiar  circumstances 
before  our  gracious  God  and  Saviour."       *    *    *    * 

To  the  same  at  a  later  date  he  writes : — 

"  I  have  been  anxious,  in  all  that  concerns  you,  to  follow  the 
leadings  of  God's  gracious  hand.  The  shortness  and  uncer- 
tainty of  our  lives,  the  infinite  value  of  souls,  the  greatness  of 
our  office  as  appointed  by  Christ  to  bring  souls  to  Himself,  the 
difficulties  of  the  work,  the  pressing  wants  of  these  times  of 
rebuke  and  blasphemy,  yet  the  manifest  blessing  which  attends 
devoted  servants  of  our  Lord — these  and  many  similar  consi- 
derations render  it  a  very  clear  duty  for  a  student  who  wishes 
to  live  to  his  Lord,  to  make  all  his  pursuits  bend  as  directly 
and  immediately  as  practicable  on  his  sufficiency  for  the 
Ministry  and  the  full  work  of  an  Evangelist.  I  grant  that 
these  very  considerations,  and  others  which  might  be  drawn 
from  the  peculiarity  of  our  times,  shew  that  consecrated  learn- 
ing is  most  valuable  in  our  day.  My  earnest  prayer,  therefore, 
for  you  is,  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  pursue  your  studies  with 
a  single  eye  and  in  a  devout  spirit;  and  then  you  will  be  the 
better  fitted  to  do  the  work  of  a  Christian  scholar." 

To  the  same  still  later : — 

"  A  field  of  ministerial  labour  is  before  you,  in  the  cultivation 
of  which,  with  the  blessing  of  your  Heavenly  Master,  you  may 
learn  how  to  gather  and  to  nurture  the  sheep  of  His  fold. 
Living  close  to  Him  in  your  private  prayers  and  study  of  His 
Word,  the  Holy  Spirit  will  enable  you  to  draw  out  of  His 
fulness  all  that  you  shall  need  in  order  to  your  '  doing  the 
work  of  an  Evangelist,' and  'making  full  proof  of  your  mini- 
stry.' If  it  be  His  design  that  you  should  come  and  labour 
with  me,  we  shall  not  want  sufficient  tokens  of  this  His  will,  if 
we  are  in  a  right  frame  to  discern  them.    If  He  would  have  you 


2jH  CORRESPONDENCE  WITH  HIS  CHILDREN.     [Chap.  XIV. 

move  elsewhere  at  any  time,  we  shall  see  the  way  opened,  and 
shall  hear  the  plain  call.  Only  let  us  in  all  things  have 
patience  with  Him.  '  He  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste.' 
We  have,  as  a  family,  abundant  reason  thus  to  wait  for  Him  : 
quick  to  discern  and  prompt  to  obey  the  real  intimations  of  His 
holy  will ;  while  w^e  maintain,  through  His  grace,  a  due  check  on 
the  working  of  our  fickle  or  selfish  feelings.  I  pray  God  that 
you  may  be  enabled  continually  to  renew,  and  with  increasing 
fervour  of  spirit,  the  surrender  of  yourself  w^holly,  in  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  to  Him  '  wdiose  we  are,  and  whom  we  serve.'  " 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  addressed  to  his 
third  daughter,  is  illustrative  of  the  manner  in  which 
he  combined  with  affectionate  parental  advice  to  his 
children,  a  lively  interest  in  their  enjoyments  and  re- 
creations. This  was  a  marked  feature  in  his  domestic 
character.  Never  will  they  forget  the  warm  welcome 
with  which  he  always  received  them  after  an  absence 
from  home,  and  the  pleasure  with  which  he  w^ould,  on 
such  occasions,  relate  or  listen  to  the  history  of  recent 
occurrences  : — 

"  *  *  *  You  will  not  object,  I  dare  say,  to  receive  a 
line  from  me.  You  must  be  pretty  well  accustomed  to  your 
present  scenes  and  friends  so  as  to  admit,  not  unwillingly  at 
least,  the  recollection  of  worn-out  faces  and  every-day  facts ; 
for  even  these  get  a  freshness  by  absence.  You  will  come 
home  loaded,  I  expect,  with  circumstantials,  which  will  ever 
and  anon  come  upon  you  with  such  vivacity,  that  we  shall  be 
made  living  parties  in  your  groups  and  adventures.  It  is  plea- 
sant to  me  to  be  persuaded  that  you  will  receive,  and  retain, 
and  communicate,  a  savour  of  that  which  will  help  us  on  through 
death  and  the  grave.  Let  that  not  only  be  the  bottom  and 
support  of  all  our  joys,  but  break  through,  as  occasion  may 
serve  and  God  may  be  glorified.     'Out  of  the  abundance  of 


1802— 16-23.]        HIS  PRIVATE  AND  SOCFAL  HARITS.  257 

the  heart  the  moutli  speakcth.'  May  the  spirit  of  my  dear  old 
friend*  refresh  your  spirit,  and  lead  all  you  younger  servants 
of  Christ  to  walk  more  closely  with  Him !  We  all  fail  here. 
May  our  Gracious  Head  evermore  supply  to  us  all,  my  dear 
Eliza,  that  seasonable  grace  which  shall  revive  and  quicken 
us  in  all  our  manifold  failings !  He  who  has  begun  His  good 
work,  I  trust,  in  us  all,  who  are  the  adults  of  our  households, 
must  carry  on  and  perfect  the  work.  But  He  will  do  it  by 
awakening  our  vigilance  and  strengthening  our  faith.  Let  us 
be  upright  with  Him,  and  sincere  before  Him.  We  cannot 
have  His  approving  presence,  and  enjoy  the  testimony  of  the 
Spirit  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  His  pardoned  and  accepted 
servants,  but  as  we  walk  closely  with  Him,  '  giving  diligence 
to  make  our  calling  and  election  sure.'  " 

Several  other  traits  in  Mr.  Pratt's  private  character 
shall  now  be  mentioned,  before  we  close  this  Chapter. 

He  did  not  mix  much  in  company.  This  did  not 
proceed  from  pride  or  an  unsociable  disposition  ;  but 
partly  from  a  natural  shyness,  which  has  already 
been  alluded  to,  and  partly  from  an  incessant  love  of 
action  :  he  seemed  never  easy,  unless  he  thought  that 
he  was  doing  something.  And  these  constitutional 
tendencies  were  fostered  as  opportunities  of  useful- 
ness opened  upon  him,  and  his  public  occupations 
increased ;  which  at  length  so  absorbed  his  time  and 
attention,  that  he  was  not  often  seen  in  company,  even 
among  his  relatives.  This  was  perhaps  carried  to  an 
extreme,asit  prevented  him  from  taking  that  occasional 
relaxation  which  appeared  desirable  for  his  own  benefit, 


*  The  late  Rev.  Robert  Jarratt,  upwards  of  fifty  years  Vicai*  of  Wel- 
lington, Somerset. 

S 


258  MR.  PRATT'S  PRIVATE  [Chap.  XIV. 

as  well  as  for  the  gratification  of  his  friends.  Yet  he 
would  sometimes  enter  with  great  animation  into  the 
social  circle ;  always,  however,  finding  his  "  delight 
in  the  excellent  of  the  earth ;"  and  his  "  speech  was 
with  grace,  seasoned  with  salt,"  and  directed  to  some 
useful  end :  nor  was  he  pleased,  unless  such  social 
occasions  were  "  sanctified  by  the  Word  of  God  and 
prayer." 

He  delighted  greatly  in  the  scenes  of  nature,  and 
would  unbend  like  a  boy  when  released  in  the  summer 
from  the  severity  of  his  engagements  and  the  re- 
straints of  the  town.  Being  of  an  active  and  strongly- 
built  frame,  and  of  buoyant  spirits,  he  exulted  in  the 
exercise  of  his  bodily  powers,  especially  when  accom- 
panied by  his  family  or  intimate  friends :  his  sea-side 
excursions  have  been  noticed  in  a  previous  Chapter. 

It  has  been  already  remarked,  that  he  possessed  an 
instinctive  love  of  order  and  method.  This  methodical 
habit  of  mind  displayed  itself  most  beneficially  in 
many  ways.  His  various  accounts  and  memoranda 
were  kept  with  minute  regularity  and  exactness  in 
a  neat  and  legible  handwriting,  and  all  his  papers 
were  systematically  arranged.  There  was  a  deal  of 
wary  forethought  about  him,  in  providing  against 
exigencies  which  were  likely  to  arise.  He  would  at 
once  write  down  thoughts  as  they  occurred  to  his 
mind,  and  stow  away  these  hints  in  some  pigeon- 
hole against  the  time  of  need  ;  and  hence,  being  ready 
when  that  time  arrived,  he  saved  himself  and  others 
much  hurry  and  inconvenience.  Simple  as  all  this 
may  appear,  none  but  an  active  and  persevering  mind 


1802—1823.]  AND  SOCIAL  HABITS.  259 

could  have  accomplished  it.  His  methodical  disposal 
of  his  own  affairs,  at  the  same  time,  left  his  mind  the 
more  at  liberty  for  breaking  off  from  his  usual  employ- 
ments when  unavoidably  interrupted.  He  rarely 
denied  himself,  when  persons  called  on  him  for  advice 
(as  was  frequently  the  case),  though  he  might  be 
closely  occupied  in  his  study.  He  would  generally, 
under  such  circumstances,  give  a  patient  attention  to 
any  case  of  interest  and  importance  which  might  be 
brought  before  him.  He  was  also  very  punctual  in 
keeping  appointments :  and  his  friends  always  found 
him  the  same  man,  uniformly  courteous,  open-hearted, 
and  sincere. 

There  was  another  feature  in  Mr.  Pratt's  personal 
character,  the  practical  influence  of  which  on  his 
course,  though  in  a  quiet  manner,  was  so  evident,  that 
it  ought  not  to  pass  unnoticed.  He  was  naturally 
endowed  with  a  large  and  liberal  heart ;  and  although 
possessing  but  a  moderate  income,  was  always  ready 
to  respond,  to  the  utmost  of  his  ability,  to  the  various 
claims  on  Christian  benevolence  so  abounding  in  the 
present  age.  He  was,  moreover,  deeply  impressed 
with  the  duty  incumbent  on  Christians  to  devote  at 
least  a  tenth  part  of  their  income  to  religious  and 
charitable  purposes ;  regarding  this  as  a  suitable 
average,  to  be  varied  more  or  less  by  special  circum- 
stances. This  view  he  considered  to  be  according  to 
the  spirit  of  Scripture,  though  he  allowed  that  the 
present  Dispensation  leaves  the  conscience  at  greater 
liberty  than  the  former,  by  giving  no  particular  direc- 
tions  on  the   point.     He  used  frequently  to  lament 

s  2 


260  Mil.  PRATT'S  PRIVATE  CHARACTER.        [Chap.  XIV. 

the  want  of  a  higher  standard  among  Christians  on 
this  subject,  and  the  consequent  want  of  a  more 
extended  liberality  in  the  Christian  world,  whilst 
acknowledging,  with  thankfulness,  that  there  were 
many  exceptions.  He  would  often  observe  on  how 
much  larger  a  scale  we  should  see  religious  Societies 
supported,  if  this  principle  were  adequately  carried 
out. 

These  private  virtues  secured  for  him  the  respect 
and  affection  of  the  numerous  persons  with  whom  he 
had  to  deal ;  and  combined  with  those  public  services 
which  were  "  known  and  read  of  all  men,"  to  render 
him  greatly  beloved  and  deservedly  popular. 

But  we  must  now  revert  to  the  narrative,  and  proceed 
to  notice  an  important  event,  which  determined  Mr. 
Pratt's  position  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

1823—1831. 

ELECTION   TO    THE    VICARAGE  OF  ST.  STEPHEN'S,   COLEMAN  STREET — LETTER 
TO    THE    REV.   DANIEL    WILSON — ENTRANCE    ON     PASTORAL     LABOURS  — 

MARRIAGE    OF    MR.   PRATt's    ELDEST    DAUfiHTER SEVERE    ATTACK    OF 

INFLAMJIATION     IN    THE    EYE — RESIGNATION    OF    THE    LECTURESHIP  AT 

ST.  MARY    WOOLNOTh's — VISIT    TO  RAMSGATE ATTEMPT    TO    IMPROVE    A 

MELANCHOLY  EVENT  WHICH  HAPPENED  AT  THAT  PLACE. 

The  character  of  Mr.  Pratt's  ministry,  as  '^  a  preacher 
of  the  Word,"  has  been  already  noticed.  He  had  not 
as  yet  been  the  pastor  of  any  parochial  cure  ;  but  just 
when  he  was  beginning  to  feel  it  necessary  to  seek 
relief  from  the  daily  increasing  pressure  of  business 
connected  with  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  an 
opening  was  providentially  presented,  which  promised 
to  afford  exactly  that  sphere  of  labour  in  which  he 
desired  to  close  his  days. 

In  the  spring  of  1823,  the  living  of  St.  Stephen's, 
Coleman  Street,  in  the  City  of  London,  became  vacant 
by  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Twigg,  and  several 
of  the  leading  parishioners,  personally  unknown  to 
him,  invited  Mr.  Pratt  to  offer  himself  as  candidate  at 
the  approaching  election  of  a  successor.  The  living 
of  St.  Stephen's  was  given  by  Queen  Elizabeth  to  the 
parish,  in  consequence  of  which  tlie  choice  of  the  Vicar 
is  vested  in  the  householders.  He  felt  that  he  ought 
to  view  an  invitation  so  unlooked  for  on  his  own  part,  as 
an  indication  of  the  Divine  will ;  and  therefore  cheer- 
fully and  thankfully  met  the  requisition  by  offering 


2()2  MR.  PRATT'S  ELECTION  [Chap.  XV. 

himself  as  a  candidate.  Several  others  sent  in  their 
names  to  the  feoffees ;  but  on  the  day  of  election,  three 
decidedly  took  the  lead.  Great  excitement  prevailed 
on  the  occasion,  and  Mr.  Pratt's  friends  (especially 
Mr.  Jeremiah  Carter,  Chairman  of  his  Committee,  and 
Mr.  Warren  S.  Hale)  exerted  themselves  with  imwea- 
ried  assiduity  in  his  behalf.  At  the  close  he  stood  first 
by  a  few  votes,  and  was  declared  duly  elected.  To  a 
relative,  who  had  given  his  assistance  on  the  day  of 
election,  he  thus  writes  : — 

"  I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  address  to  each  of  my  fi'iends, 
who  so  strenuously  supported  me  in  the  late  arduous  contest 
for  St.  Stephen's  Vicarage,  an  acknowledgment  of  my  sincere 
thanks ;  and  though  you,  in  common  with  the  rest,  avow  the 
grounds  of  your  efforts  to  have  been  public,  I  do  not  the  less 
feel  the  personal  kindness  to  myself,  but  rather  an  increase  of 
obligation  from  the  deliciite  manner  in  which  the  subject  is 
thus  put.  For  yourself,  however  your  desire  to  establish  the 
Gospel  among  the  parishioners  of  St.  Stephen's  may  have  been 
stimulated  and  strengthened  by  family  ties  and  feelings,  yet  I 
am  persuaded  that  you  would  not  have  sacrificed  to  such  con- 
siderations the  interests  of  religion  and  the  salvation  of  im- 
mortal souls.  Accept  then,  my  dear  friend,  my  hearty  thanks ; 
and  be  assured  that  I  feel  it  no  small  alleviation  of  the  pain 
arising  from  some  of  the  circumstances  which  attended  tlie 
ballot,  that  I  can  address  you,  and  each  of  my  other  active 
friends,  as  owing  to  your  personal  exertions,  under  the  blessing 
of  God,  this  important  appointment.  Whatever  delays  may 
occur  in  gaining  possession.  He,  I  doubt  not,  will  overrule 
them,  who  has  so  remarkably  manifested  in  this  affair  the 
government  of  His  Almighty  Hand.  And  I  am  not  a  little 
encouraged  to  hope,  from  this  plain  manifestation  of  His  power 
and  will,  that  He  has  graciously  appointed  me  to  be  a  minister 


1823—1326.]     TO  ST.  STEPHEN'S,  COLEMAN  STREET.  263 

of  good  to  the  people.    But  you  must  crown  all  your  past  kind- 
ness, by  *  helping  together    in   prayer  to  God  for  me,'  that 
Christ  may  be  magnified  greatly  in  the  success  of  His  Gospel. 
"  I  am  ever,  with  sincere  regard, 

"  Your  affectionate  relative, 

"  JosiAii  Pratt." 

The  "  delays,"  here  hinted  at,  did  take  place.  The 
supporters  of  one  of  the  unsuccessful  candidates  took 
exception  to  some  of  the  votes  on  Mr.  Pratt's  side,  and 
the  case  was  thrown  into  chancery.  After  an  interval 
of  three  years,  the  Lord  Chancellor  decided  that  the 
election  ought  to  have  been  by  poll,  and  not,  as  it  had 
been,  by  ballot.  A  second  election  accordingly  took 
place,  which  again  terminated  in  favour  of  Mr.  Pratt ; 
and  in  the  autumn  of  1826  he  was  inducted  into  the 
living. 

The  following  letter,  written  July  4, 1826,  in  reply 
to  one  of  congratulation  received  on  this  happy 
occasion  from  a  circle  of  relatives  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Birmingham,  shews  the  spirit  in  which  he 
desired  to  view  the  manifestation  of  Divine  Providence 
in  the  whole  affair : — 

"  MY  DEAR  BROTHER 

"  I  beg  to  return  to  you,  and  through  you  to  all  my  relatives 
and  friends,  who  with  you  signed  your  affectionate  letter  of 
congratulation  on  my  re-election  to  St.  Stephen's,  my  cordial 
thanks.  It  is  no  little  comfort  to  me,  in  the  review  of  what  is 
past,  and  in  the  anticipation  of  new  duties  to  come,  to  be 
assured  that  many  prayers  luive  been  offered  for  me.  The 
hand  of  the  Lord  is  so  clearly  to  be  seen  throughout  this 
whole  affair,  that  I  am  encouraged  to  believe  that  He  has 
purposes  of  mercy  toward  the  people  now  committed  to 
me.  *    *     *     * 


264  MR.  PRATT'S  LETTER  [Chap.  XV. 

"  I  shall  endeavour  to  behave  to  all,  as  one  whose  life  is  to 
be  spent  in  doing  good  to  all  for  the  Lord's  sake.  In  an 
important  sense,  I  hope  to  be  able  to  act  on  the  Apostle's  prin- 
ciple, '  Henceforth  know  we  no  man  after  the  flesh.'  I  count 
nuich  on  the  prayers  of  those  who  look  for  the  spiritual  good 
of  this  people ;  and  I  hope  that  even  the  dear  children  who 
have  put  their  hands  to  the  expression  of  their  good  wishes  for 
me,  will  all  remember  that  God  alone  can  lengthen  my  days, 
and  by  the  grace  of  His  Holy  Spirit  bring  this  people  to  know 
Christ  as  their  Saviour.  I  hope  they  will  all  remember,  now 
and  then,  that  I,  and  their  aunt,  and  their  cousins,  are  trying 
to  do  good  to  a  great  number  of  children,  and  poor  persons, 
and  ignorant  persons,  in  the  middle  of  the  city  of  London,  and 
would  pray  that  our  Saviour  would  help  us  and  bless  us. 
There  is  a  goodly  company  of  truly  pious  persons  among  the 
parishioners,  whose  aid  will,  of  course,  be  heartily  rendered  to 
all  proper  plans  for  benefiting  the  people.  I  have  sent  round 
the  parish  a  conciliatory  letter,  which  I  hope  will  remove  the 
apprehension,  entertained  by  some,  of  unpleasant  recollections 
on  my  part.     ♦    »    «    * 

"  I  hope  to  read  myself  in  next  Sunday."     *    *    *    • 

During  the  period  of  suspense  between  the  two 
elections,  his  early  friend,  the  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson,  was 
called  to  the  far  larger  pastoral  charge  of  the  parish  of 
Islington.  The  following  letter  was  addressed  to  him 
by  Mr.  Pratt  on  this  occasion  ;  and  is  the  more  inter- 
esting, as  having  been  written  at  a  time  when  his  own 
mind  was  preparing  for  a  somewhat  similar  change  : — 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND — 

"  I  should  have  paid  you  a  visit  before  this  time,  in  your 
new  and  important  charge,  had  I  not  been  really  oppressed  by 
overwhelming  duties  and  ill  health.  I  shall  come  the  first 
opportunity,  perhaps  on  Monday.     Be  assured,  however,  that 


1823—1826]  TO  THE  REV.  DANIEL  WILSON.  265 

you  have,  and  shall  continue  to  have,  my  earnest  prayers  for 
your  special  success  in  your  w^eighty  charge.     *    *    *    * 

"  Your  past  life,  as  a  Student,  a  Tutor,  and  a  Minister,  has 
been  a  life  of  great  intellectual  exertion :  and  you  have  had 
grace  given  to  you  to  meet  its  demands  in  a  way  for  which, 
while  you  yourself  see  abundant  cause  in  your  whole  course 
for  the  deepest  self-abasement,  very  many  will  have  reason 
to  praise  God  for  ever.     *    «    *    « 

"  But  necessity  now  calls  you  to  a  somewhat  different  course  ; 
and,  mercifully,  it  is  as  expedient  and  promising  as  it  is  unavoid- 
able. To  throw  your  whole  intellect,  by  constant  and  exhausting 
efforts,  into  your  ministry  at  Islington,  as  you  have  done  at  St. 
John's,  would  bring  you  quickly  to  the  grave.  But  that  course 
would  be  out  of  place  at  Islington.  The  great  mass  of  your 
parishioners  are  subjects  of  impression,  rather  than  conviction. 
Solemn  appeals  to  the  conscience,  and  tender  appeals  to  the 
heart,  will  do  far  more  with  them  than  the  most  powerful 
appeals  to  the  judgment.  I  am  sure,  my  dear  friend,  you  will 
not  suppose  that  I  mean  to  imply  any  undue  prevalence  of  the 
intellectual  in  your  past  ministry:  all  that  I  mean  is,  that 
circumstances  led  to  the  necessity  of  making  that  so  prominent, 
as  greatly  to  wear  and  exhaust  you  ;  but  that  your  changed  cir- 
cumstances lead  you  to  render  prominent  and  characteristic,  in 
your  future  ministry,  those  qualities  of  tenderness  and  affection 
which  will,  at  once,  less  exhaust  your  own  spirits  in  prepara- 
tion, and  be  more  consolatory  and  strengthening  to  your  own 
soul  in  the  exercise.  The  shepherd — the  father — the  nurse — 
the  overseer — the  example — the  '  brother  and  companion  in 
tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ' — 
'  Paul  the  aged,'  *  rather  beseeching,  though  he  might  be  much 
bold  in  Christ  to  enjoin' — the  winner  of  souls  :  these  and  other 
similar  characteristics  of  the  matui'er  labours  of  the  holy  Apostles 
lead  for  us  the  way,  and  shew  after  what  manner  our  own  closing 
ministry  should  be  exercised.  I  trust  that  you  will  be  merci- 
fully enabled  to  cast  all  the  burden  of  care,  which  so  great  a 


266  ^IR  PRATT'S  V  ARE  WELL  [Chap.  XV. 

charge  brings  with  it,  on  the  Lord.  I  am  rejoiced  to  learn 
that  you  are  relieved  from  that  of  St.  John's,  and  I  pray  God 
abundantly  to  bless  your  successor  there.  I  hope  you  will  cut 
off,  as  speedily  as  may  be,  all  extraneous  cares,  such  as  the 
French  Commentary ;  for  I  am  quite  persuaded  that,  under 
your  circumstances,  you  are  called  to  do  personally  as  little 
as  possible  in  things  out  of  your  own  parish.  Surround  your- 
self, so  far  as  needful,  with  able,  docile,  and  affectionate 
assistants,  and  live  like  a  father  in  the  midst  of  all  your 
children ;  and  God  our  Saviour,  I  have  good  hope  and  humble 
confidence,  will  make  your  last  days  your  most  fruitful.  I 
make  no  apology  for  the  freedom  of  this  letter,  as  it  is  an 
expression  of  that  unfeigned  regard  with  which  I  am, 
"  My  dear  friend,  ever  yours, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

Mr.  Pratt's  removal  to  the  parish  of  St.  Stephen's 
led  necessarily  to  his  resignation  of  Wheler  Chapel, 
Spitalfields.  He  had  already  preached  a  Farewell 
Sermon  there  on  the  31st  of  August,  1823,  four  days 
after  his  first  election,  and  previously  to  hearing  of  the 
impediment  which  so  long  prevented  him  from  enter- 
ing on  his  new  field  of  labour.  His  text  was  Phil.  i. 
27  :  "  Only  let  your  conversation  be  as  it  becometh 
the  gospel  of  Clirist :  that  whether  I  come  and  see  you, 
or  else  be  absent,  I  may  hear  of  your  affairs,  that  ye 
stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind  striving  to- 
gether for  the  faith  of  the  gospel."  He  felt,  that  the 
separation  of  a  minister  from  the  flock  with  which  he 
had  been  connected  for  many  years,  was  an  event  which 
should  suggest  solemn  reflection.  With  this  feeling 
he  thus  addressed  them  : — 

"  There  are  seasons  in  which  the  Christian  minister  is  called 
to  a  more  particular  review  than  usual,  of  the  work  in  which  he 


1823]  SERMON  AT  WIIELER  CHAPEL.  267 

has  been  engaged,  and  his  congregation  to  an  inquiry  what 
effect  his  ministry  has  had  upon  them. 

"The  approach  of  death,  or  of  the  entire  removal  of  a 
minister  from  his  flock  by  any  other  cause,  is  the  most  solemn 
of  these  seasons.  But,  short  of  the  solemn  season  of  the  final 
separation  between  minister  and  people,  circumstances  may 
lead  to  an  interruption  of  that  constant  intercourse  which  may 
have  been  maintained  between  them.  I  need  scarcely  to  say 
that  I  allude,  in  this  remark,  to  my  own  case. 

*'  You  are  doubtless  most  of  you  acquainted  with  the  cir- 
cumstances to  which  I  refer.  While  it  was  a  matter  of  uncer- 
tainty, what  might  be  the  will  of  God  respecting  my  appoint- 
ment to  the  important  charge  of  a  populous  parish  in  the 
City,  it  did  not  become  me  to  make  any  allusion  to  the  case  : 
but  now  that  the  course  of  duty  which  it  has  pleased  God  to 
open  before  me  is  made  plain,  I  cannot  enter  on  the  new  path  to 
which  His  gracious  providence  leads  me  without  endeavouring, 
under  the  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  improve  the  occasion. 

"  It  is  now  nearly  thirteen  years,  since  I  first  preached 
among  you  the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  With  humble 
thankfulness  I  desire  to  acknowledge  the  presence  of  God 
among  us.  The  word,  though  preached  in  weakness,  has  not 
been  preached  in  vain.  I  and  my  brethren  who  have  laboured 
with  me  are  but  'earthen  vessels;'  but  '  the  excellency  of  that 
power'  has  been  put  forth  which  is  *  of  God.'  Some  who,  through 
grace,  received  the  Word  with  power,  have  been  gathered 
home  to  God ;  others  are  witnessing  still  on  earth  a  good  con- 
fession. But  what  can  each  of  us  now  say  conscientiously  of 
himself?     This  is  a  fit  season  to  put  such  a  question  home. 

"As,  in  the  appointment  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  I  may 
hereafter  only  occasionally  have  the  happiness  of  renewing  my 
ministry  among  you,  can  I,  with  confidence,  address  these 
words  to  every  one  of  you  ?  I  do  not  speak  of  the  very  young ; 
thouffh  1  trust  that  the  children  will  not  all  have  heard  in  vain : 
but  may  I,  on  good  grounds,  address  these  words  to  each  of 


268  ENTRANCE  ON  PASTORAL  LABOURS.  [Chap.  XV. 

those  who,  having  come  to  years  of  discretion  and  accountable- 
ness,  have  been  habitual  attendants  at  the  House  jof  God  ?  I 
fear  I  cannot.  For  these  words  implij  much  concerning  those, 
to  whom  they  may  be  properly  spoken — '  Only  let  your  con- 
versation he  as  it  hecometh  the  gospel  of  Christ.^  " 

He  then  opens  his  subject  at  large,  and  concludes 
as  follows : — 

"  Let  me,  in  conclusion,  entreat  your  prayers  !  I  thank  you 
for  all  the  instances  of  your  love.  The  best  evidence  of  con- 
tinued regard  will  be  your  fervent  prayers  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  rest,  in  His  abundant  influence,  on  my  future  ministry. 
It  is  a  weighty  charge  on  which  I  am  entering.  Perhaps 
2000  souls,  in  the  heart  of  our  immense  City,  and  in  the  midst 
of  all  its  temptations  and  snares,  committed  to  my  care ! " 

The  population  of  the  parish  was,however,  double  the 
number  here  mentioned :  it  amounted  to  about  4000. 

The  establishment  of  various  useful  institutions 
quickly  followed  his  entrance  upon  this  pastoral 
charge:  an  Infant  School,  a  Sunday  School,  a  District 
Visiting  Society,  a  Society  for  assisting  Married 
Women  during  their  Confinement,  a  Church  Missio- 
nary Association,  were  introduced  into  the  parish  in 
rapid  succession.  He  also  compiled  an  excellent 
Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  the  use  of  his 
Parishioners  in  Public  Worship,  of  which  52,000  copies 
have  been  printed,  many  other  Congregations  having 
since  adopted  it :  this  was  followed  by  another  Collec- 
tion for  Private  and  Social  use.  The  same  energy  of 
mind  which  had  been  called  into  exercise  in  past  years, 
did  not  cease  to  devise  methods  of  doing  good  in  the  new 
relations  in  which  God  had  now  i)laced  him.  And  it 
was  a  delight  both  to  himself  and  his  family,  thus  to 


1827  ]  VISIT  TO  RAMSGATE.  269 

be  called  to  labour  for  the  temporal  and  spiritual  good 
of  their  neighbours,  especially  the  poor.  At  the  close  of 
this  year,  his  elder  son  entered  the  Ministry,  and  was 
ordained  to  his  father's  curacy :  he  resided  under  the 
paternal  roof  till  April  1 1, 1835,  when  he  married  Sarah, 
younger  daughter  of  the  late  James  Weston,  Esq.,  of 
Upper  Homerton  and  Fenchurch  Street ;  he  continued 
to  serve  the  curacy  till  Mr.  Pratt's  death,  when  he  was 
unanimously  chosen  to  be  his  successor. 

In  the  autumn  of  1827  the  church  was  shut  up  for 
repairs  and  alterations ;  a  north  gallery  and  galleries 
for  the  schools  were  added,  and  other  changes  were 
made.  Mr.  Pratt  had  for  some  time  been  suffering  from 
ill  health,  and  was  therefore  glad  to  avail  himself  of 
this  recess  to  visit  Ramsgate  ;  and  was  afterwards  in- 
duced to  spend  a  few  days  at  Cheltenham.  The  follow- 
ing letter,  written  at  this  time  to  his  eldest  daughter, 
shews  how  anxious  he  was  to  enlist  all  the  members  of 
his  family  as  helpers  in  his  new  parochial  charge : — 

"  15  FiNSBURY  Circus,  Aug.  25. 
"  I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  begin  to  look  homeward ; 
though  I  could  not  call  you  away  prematurely  from  a  scene 
and  society  profitable,  I  doubt  not,  both  to  your  health  and 
your  spirit.  I  have  no  fear  of  your  becoming  indifferent  to 
home ;  and  consider  the  interests  of  my  parish  concerned  in 
your  bringing  with  you  a  good  stock  of  both  physical  and 
spiritual  vigour  for  your  winter  campaign.  Our  chief  good  is 
to  be  done,  I  perceive,  by  what  Dr.  Chalmers  so  happily  calls 
Aggressive  Benevolence.  As  you  are  all  fled  away,  except 
Marianne,  the  people  seem  very  quiet :  the  loss  of  their  usual 
supplies  of  money  brings,  indeed,  a  few  to  the  door  ;  but  I 
think,  if  they  could  do  without  us  for  their  bodies,  they  would 
be  very  glad  not  to  be  disturbed  by  us  about  their  souls.     'Vo 


270  ELDEST  DAUGHTER'S  MARRIAGE.  [Chap.  XV. 

this,  however,  God  helping,  they  shall  never  bring  us.  I  am 
sent  to  them  with  the  message  of  mercy  ;  and,  by  my  ministry, 
or  my  books,  or  my  children,  I  hope  that,  ere  long,  the  message 
will  reach  the  ear  or  the  eye  of  every  one  capable  of  under- 
standing it. 

"  The  church  is  proceeding  rapidly.  The  carpenters'  work 
will  be  finished,  they  say,  next  week :  the  week  following  is 
for  plasterers  and  painters :  the  next  for  cleaning  and  airing : 
then  comes  Sunday  the  16th  of  September,  when  it  ought  to  be 
opened  ;  '  but,'  as  the  Chancellor  said,  '  I  doubt.'  " 

After  mentioning  his  own  health,  he  adds : — 

"  I  am  better  than  I  was  at  Ramsgate,  where  I  was  very 
much  oppressed  by  lassitude.  But  all  is  well.  Our  pains  and 
weakness  should  serve  to  remind  us  of  years  of  ease  and 
strength,  that  we  may  mingle  '  thanksgiving'  with  the  '  requests ' 
which  *  nature  itself  puts  us  on  making  to  God." 

On  the  27th  of  March,  1828,  his  eldest  daughter  was 
married  to  the  Rev.  Thomas  Clowes,  Follow  of  Queen's 
College,  Cambridge,  and  then  Lecturer  of  Cromer. 
That  this  separation  was  not  made  without  a  pang  in 
his  afFectionate  heart,  may  be  inferred  from  the  follow- 
ing letter  to  his  daughter,  sent  by  the  first  member  of 
the  family  who  visited  her  after  her  marriage : — 

"  MY  DEAR  CAKOHNi: 

"  On  this  first  occasion  of  renewing  our  personal  intercourse 
with  you  by  your  sister's  visit,  I  feel  as  though  I  was  almost 
on  the  point  of  seeing  you  myself.  I  wish  I  could  do  so  ;  but 
that  will,  1  hope,  come  in  its  time.  In  the  mean  while,  these 
separations  and  long  distances  are  not  exactly  what  we  should 
desire  if  we  had  our  will :  but  it  is  our  strength  and  consolation, 
that  the  God  of  your  fathers  is  your  God.  To  Him,  recon- 
ciled and  gracious  in  Christ  Jesus,  we  continually  commend 
you  and  your  beloved  husband,  as  we  doubt  not  you  do  us  : 
and  this  privilege   of  unbosoming  ourselves  before  Hiin  will 


1S28.]  IMPROVEMENT  OF  THE  OCCASION.  271 

continue,  I  trust,  to  unite  us,  while  we  continue  on  earth,  by  an 
indissoluble  bond.  *  *  *  *  My  prayers  are  daily  offered 
for  you  both,  that  the  presence  and  blessing  of  the  Saviour 
may  be  with  you,  and  that  the  labours  of  your  dear  husband, 
aided  and  relieved,  so  far  as  it  may  be  in  your  power,  by  your 
loving  care,  may  be  abundantly  prospered  in  training  his  pupils, 
and,  above  all,  in  winning  souls.  I  desire  to  be  most  affec- 
tionately remembered  to  him. 

"  Believe  me  ever,  my  dear  Caroline,  your  loving  Father, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 

On  the  occasion  of  his  daughter's  marriage,  Mr. 
Pratt  addressed  to  the  assembled  party  some  interest- 
ing remarks  on  the  marriage  union,  founded  on 
the  17th  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel.  He  dwelt 
upon  it  as  especially  employed  by  the  Word  of  God, 
to  illustrate  the  highest  of  all  unions  to  which  man 
can  be  admitted — that  of  the  soul  with  Christ,  of  the 
church  with  her  Redeemer — a  union  which  should  at 
the  same  time  be  the  great  pattern  for  the  married  life. 
The  following  letter,  written  not  very  long  after,  to  a 
member  of  his  former  congregation  at  Wheler  Chapel, 
when  about  to  enter  the  marriage  state,  contains 
some  useful  remarks  on  the  same  important  subject : — 

To  Miss  Buxton. 

"  By  some  unusual  mishap,  Mrs.  Buxton's  letter,  announcing 
your  intended  marriage,  did  not  reach  me,  or  I  should  not 
have  so  long  delayed  my  thanks  to  her  for  her  kindness  in 
apprising  me,  and  my  congratulations  to  you  on  this  occasion. 
Not  that  I  could  find  in  my  heart  to  congratulate  you  on  the 
mere  ground  of  marriage.  It  is  altogether  a  matter  of  circum- 
stances. If  our  gracious  Lord  and  Master,  who  assigns  to  us 
our  stations,  provide  for  His  youthful  servants  such  a  parental 


272  LETTER  ON  MARRIAGE.  [Chap.  XV. 

roof  and  such  filial  occupations  as  He  has  done  for  you,  it  must 
be  a  marriage  of  high  promise  which  can  be  justly  made  a 
subject  of  congratulation.  But  I  hear  with  pleasure  and  thank- 
fulness that  yours  will  be  such.  On  your  part,  I  feel  confi- 
dence, that  the  influences  of  that  Divine  Spirit  which  brought 
you  early  to  Christ,  and  have  enabled  you  to  endear  yourself 
to  your  beloved  parents  and  all  your  family,  will  accompany 
you  in  your  new  relation,  and  will  shew  their  power  in  mould- 
ing the  Christian  wife,  as  they  have  done  in  forming  the  Chris- 
tian daughter  and  sister.  You  enjoy,  as  Christians,  an  advan- 
tage in  respect  of  the  married  life  over  all  who  are  not  such. 
No  principles,  or  motives,  or  rules,  for  the  conduct  of  the  mar- 
ried, unless  as  derived  immediately  or  remotely  from  the  Scrip- 
tures themselves,  can  have  any  thing  resembling,  or  approach- 
ing to  the  resemblance  of,  the  inspired  code,  given  Eph.  v. 
22 — 33.  The  principle  of  mutual  submission  there  inculcated, 
with  its  appropriate  modifications,  and  the  high  motives  and 
example  by  which  it  is  enforced,  all  discover  their  Divine 
origin.  Mere  morals  and  philosophy  may  lay  down  rules  for 
our  conduct  in  life,  from  observing  how  men  feel  and  act  in 
their  various  relations  in  society;  but  it  is  the  Gospel  of  the 
grace  of  God  alone,  which  can  discover  to  us  our  wants,  our 
duties,  our  I'esources,  and  our  consolations.  It  is,  indeed,  their 
'glad  tidings'  that  all  who  seek  such  grace  shall  obtain  it;  and 
it  must  be  your  consolation,  my  dear  Priscilla,  iii  departing  from 
the  house  of  your  beloved  parents,  where  you  have  been  nur- 
tured and  blessed,  and  it  must  be  theirs  in  giving  you  up  to  the 
protection  and  fostering  care  of  your  husband,  that,  out  of  the 
fulness  of  the  great  Head  of  influence,  she  who  departeth  and 
they  who  remain  shall  still  bo  supplied. 

"  It  is  fit  that  the  labourer  should  have  his  repose.  And 
sometimes,  so  wearying  and  harassing  is  our  appointed  labour 
in  the  cause  of  Christ  and  for  the  salvation  of  men,  that  we  are 
apt  to  fix  limits,  beyond  which  we  feel  as  though  we  must  rest 
and  be  still.      I    think   your  dear  father  must  have  felt  this 


1828.]  PAINFUL  ATTACK  IN  HIS  EYE.  273 

oftentimes  ;  and  must  have  looked  at  that  consummation  now 
so  wonderfully  and  happily  attained,  as  a  sort  of  close  to  his 
labours.  But  it  is  surprising  how  soon,  where  the  grace  of 
God  lives  in  an  active  and  energetic  mind,  a  little  repose  makes 
the  spirit  restless  for  more  labour.  I  rejoice  to  see,  what  I 
expected  that  we  should  see,  that  other  objects  of  benevolent 
care  and  of  extensive  influence  on  the  good  of  mankind  are 
beginning  to  occupy  him.  And  though  you  may  yourself  be 
less  immediately  his  helper  than  you  have  been,  you  will  feel, 
I  doubt  not,  a  kindred  spirit  stirring  within  you,  leading  you  to 
co-operate  with  your  father  and  your  husband  in  every  plan 
and  effort  of  true  charity.  For  the  present,  be  content,  and 
give  yourself  a  little  rest  after  your  toil.  The  Israelite  newly 
married  could  not  be  called  out  to  war  for  the  first  year,  that 
he  might  stay  at  home  and  cherish  his  wife ;  the  mercy  and 
wisdom  of  this  law  are  worthy  of  consideration.  Let  your  early 
married  life  pass  in  the  endearing  society  of  each  other ;  and 
seek  then  to  form  and  fix  those  habits  which  may  bring  glory 
to  God,  and  be  a  comfort  and  blessing  to  all  around  you. 

*'  Forgive  me  if  I  have  insensibly  fallen  into  an  admonitory 
strain.  To  one  who  has  to  deal,  in  the  name  of  the  Saviour,  with 
none  but  wilful  sinners  and  imperfect  saints,  this  strain  becomes 
almost  natural  and  habitual ;  yet  I  would  cheer  and  encourage 
you  by  the  boundless  mercies  and  the  gracious  promises  of  our 
Heavenly  Father.  In  all  my  best  wishes  and  earnest  prayers,  I 
include  your  betrothed  husband,  and  beg  of  our  God  to  shower 
down  on  you  both  the  rich  blessings  of  His  Covenant  love. 

"  With  the  kindest  regards  to  your  dear  father  and  mother, 
"  I  am  ever,  your  very  affectionate  friend, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Pratt  removed  to  St.  Stephen's, 
it  pleased  God  to  visit  him  with  a  complaint,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  he  was  sometimes  entirely  unfitted 
for  public    duty.     A  violent  attack   of  inflammation 

T 


274  PAINFUL  ATTACK  IN  HIS  EYE.  [Chap.  XV. 

seized  his  right  eye..  He  had  never  enjoyed  the  use 
of  this  eye,  but  the  pain  which  he  suffered  in  it  at 
this  time  affected  the  other  also  by  sympathy,  so 
as  to  render  it  nearly  useless.  In  the  spring  of 
1828,  he  was  laid  aside  eleven  weeks,  a  period 
longer  than  any  former  intermission  which  sickness 
had  occasioned  throughout  his  whole  ministry.  This 
visitation  was  the  more  inconvenient,  as  he  always 
spent  a  large  portion  of  time  in  his  study ;  and 
efficient  preparation  for  the  monthly  publication  of 
the  ^'  Missionary  Register "  entailed  a  vast  amount 
of  reading,  as  well  as  the  occupation  of  correcting  the 
press,  still  more  trying  to  a  weak  sight. 

After  he  found  relief  from  his  first  attack,  he  thus 
writes  to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Clowes  : — 

''JimeO,  1828. 
"  I  am  thankful  to  say,  that  it  has  pleased  God  greatly  to 
restore  me.  I  have  resumed  my  public  work  again,  having 
now  preached  at  all  my  churches.  I  did  not  preach  at 
St,  Mary  Woolnoth's  till  last  night.  My  eye  is  still  very 
susceptible ;  and  Dr.  Farre  tells  me  that  the  aqueous  humour 
is  too  abundant;  and  that  if  my  constitution  were  in  a  state  to 
bear  it,  he  should  discharge  that  humour.  I  trust  that  my 
long  withdrawment,  of  three  months,  from  public  duty,  will  lead 
me  to  value  my  work  more  than  I  have  ever  done.  It  is  sad 
that  we  must  be  deprived  of  privileges  before  we  can  duly  value 
them.  However,  let  us  be  thankful  that  by  these  various  ways, 
even  in  our  chastisements,  all  is  in  love." 

The  susceptibility  of  which  he  here  speaks,  conti- 
nually made  him  liable  to  these  attacks  till  the  year 
1830,  when  a  severer  visitation  of  pain  than  the  first 
kept   him  from   his   pulpit  for  the    long  interval  of 


1S31.]  HE  RESIGNS  ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH'S.  275 

twenty-three  weeks.  His  sufferings  were  at  times 
very  acute ;  so  much  so,  that  he  could  scarcely  bear 
the  sensation  produced  by  a  person  walking  across 
the  room.  But  with  reference  to  them  he  writes  to 
his  younger  son,  then  at  College : — 

"  Let  me  add  my  testimony  to  that  of  milHons,  that  though 
*  no  chastening  for  the  present  scemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  rather 
grievous,  nevertheless  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits 
of  righteousness  to  them  that  are  exercised  thereby.'  " 

And  after  speaking  of  severer  measures,  which 
might  be  found  necessary  for  giving  him  permanent 
relief,  he  adds : — 

"  But  in  all  I  desire  to  lie,  as  clay  in  the  hand  of  the  potter, 
under  the  will  of  my  Heavenly  Master.  I  have  no  temptation, 
indeed,  to  withdraw  myself  from  His  care,  for  I  must  bear  tes- 
timony that,  as  my  sufferings  abound,  so  my  consolation  also 
aboundeth  by  Christ." 

He  was  strongly  urged  by  his  medical  adviser  to 
seek  for  more  repose  of  mind  than  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  allowing  himself.  He  accordingly  attempted  to 
free  himself  of  the  care  and  responsibility  of  the 
"  Register,"  though  without  effect,  as  he  eventually 
retained  it  in  his  own  hands  till  within  three  years  of 
his  death. 

He  felt,  however,  compelled  to  resign  the  Lecture- 
ship at  St.  Mary  Woolnoth's,  which  he  had  held  since 
1804.  This  he  did  in  February,  1831,  after  having 
been  prevented  from  occupying  the  pulpit  for  nine 
months.  It  was  a  grief  to  him  to  resign  a  duty  in 
which  he  had  been  so  long  blessed,  and  which  formed 
an  interesting  link  of  remembrance   between  himself 

T  2 


276  THOUGHTS  ON  A  MELANCHOLY  EVENT.      [Chap.  XV, 

and  the  venerable  John  Newton,  whose  curate  (it  will 
be  remembered)  he  had  formerly  been.  But  the  hand 
of  God  clearly  pointed  out  his  path.  It  was  one  very 
happy  indication  of  the  Divine  goodness  to  him,  that 
there  was  always  some  significant  providential  event 
which  marked  the  time  when  he  was  to  abandon  his 
various  posts  of  labour,  as  life  advanced. 

In  the  autumn  of  1831,  he  again  visited  Ramsgate 
with  his  family.  During  his  stay  there  a  melancholy 
occurrence  took  place,  which  furnished  one  of  those 
opportunities  of  doing  good,  of  which  he  was  ever 
ready  to  avail  himself.  A  young  man  in  the  full 
vigour  of  health,  while  bathing  on  the  shore,  was 
carried  out  to  sea  by  a  strong  current,  which  he  was 
unable  to  stem ;  and  he  sank  in  sight  of  a  multitude  of 
spectators,  who  stood  on  the  pier  melancholy  witnesses 
of  the  ineffectual  attempts  which  were  made  to  rescue 
him.  On  the  day  of  the  occurrence  Mr,  Pratt  drew 
up  and  printed  the  following  paper,  and  circulated  it 
extensively  throughout  Ramsgate,  in  the  hope  of  im- 
proving the  sad  event  to  some  of  his  fellow-visitors  : — 

"  Thoughts  on  the  Melancholy  Event  which  took  place  at 

Ramsgate  on  Monday,  the  22nd  of  A^igust,  1831. 
'*  One  of  the  visitors  at  Ramsgate,  who  had  the  pain  to 
witness,  this  morning,  the  fruitless  efforts  to  rescue  one  of  his 
fellow-visitors  from  a  watery  grave,  feels  constrained  to  make 
a  few  remarks  on  this  melancholy  event;  in  the  hope  that  they 
may,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  lead  those  who  read  them  to  a 
right  improvement  of  this  painful  occurrence.  It  is  many  years 
since  any  visitor  at  Ramsgate  met  death  in  this  sudden  and  awful 
manner ;  and,  as  such  an  occurrence  could  not  take  place  without 
the  appointment  of  Him  who  numbers  the  very  hairs  of  our 


1<^31.]      THOUGHTS  ON  A  MELANCHOLY  EVENT.        277 

head,  and  without  whom  not  even  a  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground, 
it  becomes  all  who  witnessed  or  hear  of  it,  to  lay  it  to  heart. 

"  A  fine  young  man,  in  the  vigour  of  health  and  years,  the  joy 
and  hope  of  his  parents,  went  into  the  sea,  from  one  of  the 
bathing  machines,  this  morning.  Having  gone  too  far  in  a 
heavy  surf,  he  became  distressed,  and  made  signs  for  help.  Two 
bold  men,  excellent  swimmers,  rushed  into  the  sea,  one  of  whom 
reached  him,  but  was  unable  to  bear  him  to  shore  against  the 
reflux  of  the  tide  :  the  two  men  were  themselves  in  danger, 
but  were  rescued  by  the  life-boat.  In  a  few  minutes,  perhaps 
not  more  than  eight  or  ten,  from  his  entering  the  water,  the 
sufferer  was  lost  beyond  recovery. 

"  It  has  been  to  the  writer  of  this  paper  a  melancholy  sight 
this  morning,  to  witness  groups  of  his  fellow-visitors  wandering 
on  the  beach,  and  casting  wishful  eyes  on  the  wide  waters  which 
had  carried  away  the  body  of  one  so  lately  alive  and  vigorous 
like  themselves.  He  joined  one  after  another  of  these  groups, 
and  wished  to  throw  in  a  word  of  Christian  counsel ;  but 
thought  that  he  might  perhaps,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  make 
a  more  general  and  permanent  improvement  of  the  event  by 
adopting  the  present  method. 

"  When  the  two  men  were  buffeting  the  waves,  and  striving 
to  save  their  drowning  fellow-creature,  with  what  deep  interest 
did  we  who  beheld  the  conflict  look  on !  And  when  the  life- 
boat delivered  these  men  from  the  danger  which  they  were  en- 
countering, but  left  the  object  of  their  efforts  in  the  deep,  how 
sad  and  awful  was  the  feeling  which  came  over  our  spirits ! 

"  But  is  there  not  a  Voice  in  this  event  which  all  should 
hear  ?  The  aeonies  of  death  which  the  sufferer  endured  were 
but  for  a  moment.  If  he  were  one  of  those  who,  through  the 
grace  of  God,  lived  in  habitual  preparation  for  death,  his  immor- 
tal spirit  has  entered  on  its  state  of  everlasting  felicity  ;  and  the 
loud  and  affecting  call  of  such  an  event  is,  '  Be  ye  aho  ready' 

"  Few,  very  few,  do  in  reality  live  in  this  habitual  preparation 
for  death.  Though  ever  on  the  brink  of  eternity,  and  liable 
to  be  called  at  a  moment's  warning  to  the  bar  of  their  Righ- 


278  THOUGHTS  ON  A  MELANCHOLY  EVENT.      [Ciiap.  XV. 

teous  Judge,  yet  it  is  but  here  and  there  one  who  seriously  asks, 
'  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?' 

*'  But  has  not  the  scene  of  this  morning  prochiimcd  to  us  most 
feehngly  the  value  of  the  immortal  soul  ?  The  cry  of  distress 
was  heard — the  hand  raised  above  the  wave  pleaded  for  instant 
rescue— bold  men  dashed  through  the  surge— the  shore  echoed 
with  shouts  for  the  life-boat— in  a  few  instants  it  was  on  the 
spot.  What !  are  the  uncertain  years  of  human  life  of  such 
value  ?  Are  the  strongest  sympathies  of  our  nature  roused  for 
the  rescue  of  the  body  of  a  fellow-creature  from  untimely  death? 
What,  then,  is  the  value  of  that  soul  which  never  dies  ?  What 
wise  and  thoughtful  man  will  not  seek,  above  all  things,  the 
salvation  of  his  soul  ? 

**  Nor  need  any  one  who  seeks  this  salvation  fear  that  he 
shall  perish.  The  efforts  to  save  the  drowning  body  from 
death  were  fruitless ;  and  we  heard  the  mournful  declaration 
over  it,  when  it  had  been  found,  and  after  all  means  had  been 
tried  for  its  re-animation,  *  We  can  do  nothing  more !'  But  no 
such  fatal  issue  can  attend  the  prompt  and  vigilant  use  of  the 
means  which  God  has  in  infinite  pity  appointed  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  soul.  No  one  can  cry  for  mercy,  with  an  awakened 
and  penitent  heart,  but  he  shall  find  mercy  !  No  one  can 
stretch  forth  the  suppliant  hand,  but  he  shall  be  delivered  from 
the  overwhelming  waves  !  '  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
He  gave  His  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
Him  should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life.'  '  Seek,'  then, 
*  the  Lord  while  He  may  be  found  ;  call  ye  upon  Him  wiiile  He 
is  near  :  let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord,  and  He 
will  have  mercy  upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  He  will 
abundantly  pardon.' 

"  Ramsgate,  Monday,  August  22,  18.^1." 

How  far  this  seasonable  attempt  was  blessed,  is 
known  only  to  the  Searcher  of  hearts ;  but  it  will  be 
revealed  in  "the  last  day." 


CHAPTER  XVL 

1829—1834. 

THK  STATE  OF  PITBMC  AFFAIRS — DISSENSIONS  IN  THE  BRITISH  AM)  FOREIGN 

BIBLE    SOCIETY MR.  PBATt's  VIEWS   ON    THAT  SUBJECT — THE    CIIOLEUA 

THE    FAST    DAY — THE    REFORM    BILL —  REFORMS    IN    THE    CHURCH — 

THE  CHRISTIAN  INFLUENCE  SOCIETY — THE  DISSENTERS — RISE  OF  TRAC- 
TARIANISM — REV.  DANIEL  WILSON  APPOINTED  BISHOP  OF  CALCUTTA  — 
CITY-OF-LONDON  SCHOOL — LETTERS  OF  ADVICE,  AND  SYMPATHY  WITH 
AFFLICTED  FRIENDS. 

Mr.  Pratt  was  an  attentive  and  accurate  observer  of 
the  times :  and  he  anxiously  watched  the  course  of 
events,  not  only  from  a  feeling  of  genuine  patriotism, 
but  with  a  view  of  marking  the  steps  of  Divine  Pro- 
vidence in  bringing  about  the  spread  of  the  Gospel 
throughout  the  world.  The  "  Introductory  Remarks" 
at  the  beginning  of  the  successive  volumes  of  the 
"Missionary  Register,"  give  a  succinct  and  intelligent 
view  of  the  leading  questions  of  the  day,  as  bearing 
upon  this  great  subject. 

At  no  time  since  the  establishment  of  peace  had 
public  alTairs  presented  so  threatening  an  aspect  as  in 
1829,  and  the  years  which  immediately  followed. 
Momentous  events  in  the  political  world  seemed  to  be 
shaking  our  country  and  its  constitution  to  the  very 
base  :  while  discontent  and  dissatisfaction  with  long- 
established  principles,  were  endangering  the  useful- 
ness, if  not  the  existence,  of  some  of  our  best  religious 
Institutions. 


280  PUBLIC  AFFAIRS.  [Chai'.  XVI. 

The  first  of  these  events  was  the  Roman-Catholic 
Relief  Bill  of  1829.  Mr.  Pratt  voted  against  this 
measure,  in  the  exercise  of  his  right  as  a  member  of 
the  Convocation  of  the  University  of  Oxford.  He 
regarded  it  as  a  most  dangerous  encroachment  of  the 
Papal  power  on  our  Protestant  constitution,  the  effects 
of  which  he  foresaw  might  become  of  the  most  disas- 
trous character.  Then  followed  the  year  1830,  memo- 
rable for  the  spirit  of  restless  activity,  of  change,  and 
of  insubordination,  which  was  spreading  both  at  home 
and  abroad. 

"  The  events  of  the  past  year,"  he  writes  at  its  close,  "  are 
most  awakening.  The  pangs  and  throes  of  the  Old  World  are 
fast  coming  on.  Dark  and  ominous  clouds  have  been  blowing 
up  from  every  quarter ;  the  moral  atmosphere  is  surcharged 
with  miscliief,  and  society  itself  seems  ready  to  heave  from  its 
foundations.  The  conquest  of  Algiers  by  the  French — the 
attempt  to  rivet  on  France  the  chains  of  Popish  despotism  by 
the  eclat  of  that  conquest  —  the  Revolution  to  which  that 
attempt  gave  occasion,  and  by  which  Popery  ceased  to  be  the 
Estabhshed  ReHgion  of  France*,  and  the  way  opened  for  the 
more  free  promulgation  of  pure  Christianity — the  Revolutions 
of  Belgium  and  Poland — the  tumults  and  commotions  in  other 
parts  of  the  Continent  and  in  our  own  country ;  and  which 
appear,  in  too  many  instances,  to  be  the  heavings  and  convul- 
sions of  wild  and  disorganizing  principles,  that  call  to  mind  the 
alleged  designs  of  the  Jacobins  and  lUuniinati  of  a  former  day 


*  AccoiJin;?  to  the  ttrnis  of  the  New  Charter,  the  Ministers  of  the 
Roman- Catholic  Religion  (which  was  professed  by  the  majority  of  French- 
men), together  with  those  of  other  Christian  bodies,  were  to  be  supported 
at  the  public  expense.  This  put  all  Christian  denominations,  including 
Topery,  on  the  same  footing. 


1830.]  THE  EPISTLE  OF  OUR  DAY.  281 

— these  events  have  made  the  hearts  of  many  to  fail  them  for 
fear  and  looking  after  those  things  ichich  are  coming  on  the 
earth."    «    »    ♦    *    "  In  the  various  duties,"  he  adds,  "  to  which 
the  exigency  of  the  present  time  calls  us,  the  simplest  Chris- 
tian precepts  should  often  be  resorted  to  for  counsel  and  direc- 
tion.    If  there  be  any  one  entire  portion  of  the  Word  of  God 
which,  more  than  another,  might  be  pointed  out  as  peculiarly 
adapted  to  our  circumstances — one  which  might  not  unaptly 
be  entitled  the  Epistle  of  our  Day— it  would  perhaps  be  the 
Epistle  of  St.  James  ;  written  by  one  who  had  surveyed  the 
origin,  progress,   persecutions,  and  varying  character   of  the 
Church  from  its  commencement,  through  a  whole  generation  — 
written  after  an  experience  of  this  long  and  diversified  period, 
spent  chiefly  in  the  metropolis  of  the  Christendom  of  that  age 
— written,  moreover,  under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Hence  those  frequent  and  striking  allusions  to  the  laxities  of 
professed  believers  ;  and  the  solemn  and  authoritative  precepts 
relative  to  the  management  of  the  tongue,  the  temper,  the  time, 
and  the  purse ;  in  short,  of  all  the  several  talents  entrusted  to 
Christians.     A  treasure,  indeed,  is  this  Epistle !  and  it  will  be 
found   to  be  so,  more  and  more,  should  God,  in  His  infinite 
wisdom,   permit  our  Church  and  our  country  to  fall  further 
than  they  have  already  fallen  info  divers  temj^tations.     Then, 
'  Let  every  man  be  swift  to  hear,  slow  to  speak,  slow  to  wrath  ; 
for  the  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God.' 
Not  by  our  controversies,  but  by  our  meekness  and  patience — 
not  by  our  many-coloured  faith,  but  by  our  works,  proceeding 
from  that  well-defined  faith  of  Scripture, /aiVA  that  worketh  by 
love — will  the  cause  of  our  Redeemer  be  truly  and  largely  pro- 
moted in  this  nation  and  in  the  world.     In  these  things  God 
delights ;  to   this  spirit  He  will  grant,  of  His  free  grace,  the 
special  outpouring   of  His   holy  influences  :    if  such   be  the 
temper  and  conduct  of  His  professing  people.  He  will,  by  the 
terrible  power  of  His  own  right  hand,  get   to    Himself  the 
victory  over  all  His  and  their  spiritual  enemies ;  and  '  in  His 


282  PUBLIC  AFFAIRS.  [Chap.  XVI. 

majesty  ride  prosperously,  because  ol'  ///////,  and  meekness,  and 
righteousness.'  " 

A  year  later  he  writes  : — 

"  The  state  of  public  affairs  has  continued  to  be  progres- 
sively portentous  throughout  the  year.  The  minds  of  men  are 
rapidly  loosening  from  that  deference  to  authority,  and  even 
from  that  feeling  of  mutual  dependence,  which  are  the  nerves 
and  sinews  of  the  social  state. 

"  The  professedly  religious  world  has  caught  the  infection. 
The  spiritual  foe  fearfully  succeeds  in  alienating  from  one 
another  the  minds  of  multitudes." 

And  then  on  looking  back  to  his  recollections  of  the 
rise  of  many  of  the  Institutions  which  w^ere  now- 
threatened  with  division,  he  adds : — 

"  It  was  a  season  of  comparative  peace  and  charity,  when  it 
was  but  a  day  of  small  things.  In  those  wintry  times,  a  little 
genial  warmth  now  and  then  boded  approaching  spring,  but  it 
came  on  reluctant  and  slow.  The  men  of  those  times  wrapped 
their  cloaks  round  them,  and  fostered  the  little  warmth  within  by 
nestling  together  as  they  had  opportunity,  still  looking  up  for 
brighter  days.  Those  days  have  opened  upon  us,  and  the  sun 
has  been  advancing  toward  its  full  life-giving  power.  But 
there  have  been  many  cloudy  and  dark  days,  and  wearisome 
nights  of  watching  and  fear ;  and  dangers  and  dilficulties  vary 
and  augment  as  the  times  of  splendour  and  glory  draw  near. 
The  prince  of  the  poiver  of  the  air  gave  us  but  little  disturbance 
in  the  winter  of  our  torpid  sloth ;  but  as  the  seasons  have 
advanced,  and  our  activity  has  increased,  his  subtle  and  malig- 
nant activity  has  increased  too.  And  great  and  fearful  power 
is  permitted  to  him ;  chiefly,  however,  hitherto,  to  kindle 
around  us  treacherous  lights  by  night,  and  darkening  fogs  and 
noxious  exhalations  by  day.  For  he  is  ever  the  destroyer :  he 
will  be  content  to  destroy  by  deceiving,  if  he  is  restrained  for 


1831.]  DISSENSIONS  IN  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  2S3 

a  season  from  glutting  liis  cruelty  by  the  sufferings  of  the 
servants  of  God  ;  and  where  he  is  not  permitted  to  beguile  to 
final  ruin,  he  will  be  content  to  harass  the  mind,  and  break 
the  peace  of  the  Church,  and  retard  spiritual  prosperity  by  his 
plausible  delusions." 

One  of  the  most  threatening  events  here  alluded  to 
was,  a  violent  dissension  which  occurred  at  the  Annual 
Public  Meeting  of  the  British  and  P^'oreign  Bible 
Society  in  1831,  on  the  part  of  some  who  had  hitherto 
been  among  the  admirers  and  supporters  of  that  noble 
Institution.  Two  charges  were  brought  forward : — 
there  was  no  rule  of  the  Society,  it  was  said,  for  the 
exclusion  of  persons  who  deny  the  Doctrines  of  the 
Trinity  and  the  Atonement ;  and  its  public  meetings 
were  conducted  without  prayer.  These  objections, 
having  reference  to  such  fundamental  points  in  the 
Christian's  belief  and  practice,  were  likely  to  entangle 
many  simple-minded  persons,  who  were  not  able  to 
see  the  bearings  of  the  question  in  all  its  amplitude. 

The  following  letter  conveys  Mr.  Pratt's  views  on 
these  subjects :  it  was  written  during  an  early  stage 
of  the  discussions;  indeed  previously  to  their  being 
made  public.  The  letter  affords  an  excellent  speci- 
men of  the  comprehensiveness  of  mind  which  he 
possessed,  for  meeting  these  difficult  cases :  and  it  is 
also  specially  interesting  as  coming  from  the  pen  of 
one,  who  was  so  much  concerned  in  the  establishment 
of  the  Society.     It  is  dated — 

"FiNSBURY  Circus,  Oct.  28,  1830. 
"  To  the  Rev.  Thomas  Clowes. 
"  The  shortest  M'ay  of  giving  you  my  views  of  the  questions 
lately  started  relative  to  the  Bible  Society  will  be,  to  dictate  to 


284  LETTER  ON  THE  DISSENSIONS  [Chap.  XVI. 

Josiah,  as  I  suffer  much  uneasiness  and  weakness  in  my  eye, 
though  I  desire  to  be  thankful  that  I  am  so  far  recovered  as  I 
am.  I  have,  in  fact,  to  add  Httle  on  the  questions  to  what  you 
yourself  state,  as  I  seem  to  coincide  with  you  in  your  views. 

"  The  two  questions,  relative  to  Prayer  and  Socinians,  require, 
in  order  to  their  just  determination,  an  enlarged  view  of  the 
nature  and  objects  of  the  Society.  It  is  very  easy  to  declaim 
upon  topics  so  near  to  the  heart  of  a  Christian,  as  those  which 
are  connected  with  the  honour  and  glory  of  our  Heavenly 
Master ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  that  many 
crude  notions  are  put  forth  on  the  subject  by  young  writers, 
who  advert  neither  to  the  nature  of  the  Society  nor  to  the  sin- 
gular blessing  which  has  rested  upon  it.  It  is  true,  the  bless- 
ing of  God  on  an  Institution  does  not  imply  that  it  is  perfect ; 
but  it  ought,  in  such  a  case  as  this,  to  silence  such  idle  clamours 
against  the  Society  as  even  grave  men  in  the  North  are  wont 
to  utter. 

"  And  first,  as  to  prayer,  the  case  of  the  Society  is  peculiar. 
Most  of  those  who  write  or  speak  on  the  subject  seem  to  advert, 
almost  exclusively,  to  the  objections  of  the  Society  of  Friends 
against  unity  in  set  prayer.  But  there  is  another  and  perhaps 
greater  difficulty  in  the  way  of  such  prayer.  The  great  body 
of  Dissenters  would  not  acquiesce  in  any  form  of  prayer ;  and 
it  is  obvious  that  if  extempore  prayer  were  to  be  adopted,  in- 
calculable evils  might  arise  from  the  impracticability  of  always 
conducting  the  service  acceptably  before  God  and  man.  I  will 
undertake  to  say,  that  the  blessed  company  of  men  who  were 
honoured  in  forming  the  Society,  laid  its  foundations  in  fervent 
and  unwearied  prayer;  and  that  they  acted  with  piety  and 
wisdom  in  leaving  a  Society  formed  under  such  peculiar  circum- 
stances, without  the  restraints  of  a  rule  which  must  have  embar- 
rassed its  proceedings.  They  meant,  and  all  their  proceedings 
indicate  that  they  meant,  that  the  Society  should  be  conducted 
in  entire  dependence  on  God  and  to  His  glory  ;  and  if  the 
members  of  any  Committee  have  habitually  attended  their  duty 


1830.]  IN  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  285 

in  the  spirit  of  prayer  and  with  the  prayer  of  the  heart,  it  will 
be  found  that  this  character  has  attached,  in  a  distinguished 
degree,  to  the  successive  Committees  of  the  Bible  Society.  I 
have  myself  witnessed  the  settlement  of  long-agitated  questions, 
after  much  excitement  had  been  felt,  in  a  manner  and  spirit 
which  I  could  ascribe  to  nothing  but  a  gracious  answer  to 
prayer.  I  hope  the  Parent  Society  will  never  enact  any  Rule 
on  the  subject ;  and  if  any  Local  Society  should  find  itself  in 
circumstances  which  enable  it  to  adopt  the  practice,  yet  I  shall 
regret  to  see  such  practice  enjoined  in  any  Rules,  as  has  been 
in  some  instances  already  done. 

"  As  to  the  admission  of  Socinians  into  the  Society,  it  is 
obvious  to  those  who  think  justly  on  the  subject,  that  restric- 
tions of  any  kind  on  the  admission  of  subscribers  (other  than" 
those  which  the  nature  of  the  case  requires)  are  incompatible 
with  the  first  principle  on  which  the  Society  is  formed.  What- 
ever money  is  given,  must  be  appropriated  exclusively  to  the 
circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  without  note  or  comment ; 
and,  so  far  as  English  is  concerned,  to  the  circulation  of  the 
Authorised  Version.  If  a  Jew,  Turk,  or  Infidel,  will  give 
money  to  such  an  object,  there  is  no  dereliction  of  principle  in 
receiving  such  money  ;  or  if  a  soi-disant  Christian,  who  yet, 
either  in  word  or  in  fact,  denies  the  inspiration  of  the  doctrines 
of  the  Scriptures,  will  still  give  his  money  to  circulate  them, 
the  inconsistency  lies  with  himself.  If  we  really  believe  that 
the  Scriptures  are  divinely  inspired,  and  speak  a  language 
totally  different  from  that  of  these  men,  we  may  wonder  that 
they  will  help  to  inculcate  such  Scriptures,  but  should  surely 
rejoice  that  they  contribute  to  disperse  an  eftectual  antidote  to 
their  own  poison. 

"  The  admission  of  Socinians  to  any  share  in  the  management 
of  the  Bible  Society  is  another  question,  and  perhaps  cannot 
be  settled  by  any  defined  rule.  In  flict,  the  question  takes  a 
wider  range.  The  Society,  and  many  other  similar  bodies,  in 
the  struggles  of  their  infancy  and  childhood,  did  certainly  look 


2SG  THE  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  [Chap.  XVI. 

with  eagerness  for  the  support  of  persons  of  rank  and  influence  ; 
and  the  members  hailed  the  accession  of  such  persons,  not,  as 
has  been  uncharitably  insinuated,  from  the  mere  eclat  which 
they  gave  to  the  Society,  but  from  the  genuine  and  honest 
belief  that  the  cause  would  be  promoted  thereby.  We  have  all, 
however,  I  think,  gone  too  far  on  this  subject;  and  we  are 
come  to  a  better  mind :  we  have  found  the  support  of  such 
persons  flickering  and  hollow ;  but  very  highly  esteem  the 
support  of  rank  and  influence,  when  it  is  given  upon  principle. 
"To  apply  this  to  the  case  of  the  Socinians.  If  a  man  of 
bad  moral  character  offered  his  money  I  would  take  it;  but  I 
would  use  every  endeavour  to  prevent  his  taking  a  share  in  the 
management :  but  if  a  man  of  good  moral  character  was  desirous 
of  assisting  the  Society,  I  would  not  only  take  his  money,  but 
would  accept  his  services,  if  circumstances  did  not  render  this 
improper.  Now  what  are  the  circumstances  which  would 
render  it  so  ?  This  question  must  be  answered  on  a  larger  scale 
than  with  reference  to  Socinians  only :  there  are  many,  even  of 
our  own  Church,  who  have  no  more  cordial  belief  of  the  plenary 
inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  than  the  Socinians  have :  and  there 
are  many  also  of  our  own  body,  who  as  effectually  exclude  the 
only  ground  for  a  sinner's  dependence  as  the  Socinians  do.  But  if 
men  of  this  description  are  willing  to  act  with  me,  in  circulating 
those  Scriptures  which  expose  their  fatal  errors,  I  can  see  no 
reason  in  this  case  for  not  acting  with  them,  provided  they 
will  fulfil  the  duties  of  a  member  of  the  Society,  and  confine 
themselves  to  those  duties.  If  in  any  way  they  broach,  insi- 
nuate, or  propagate,  as  members  of  the  Society,  their  erroneous 
views,  I  would  cease  to  act  with  them  :  but  acting  with  them 
under  these  restrictions  would  not  lay  me  under  any  guilt,  I 
conceive,  in  the  sight  of  God.  The  object  of  the  Bible  Society, 
considered  simply  as  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures,  is  not  a 
religious  object,  i.e.  it  is  not  an  object  in  which  sentiments  are 
called  in  question.  On  this  ground  we  can  as  freely  unite 
with  persons  of  different  sentiments,  in  giving  the  closed  and 


1832.]  THE  CHOLERA.  287 

uncommented  volume,  as  we  can  in  conducting  the  concerns  of 
a  hospital  or  dispensary.  Yet,  so  far  as  liberty  of  choice  can 
be  obtained,  we  should  natui'ally  select  for  our  associates  those 
who  accord  most  neai'ly  with  us  in  our  views." 

This  contention,  as  is  well  known,  passed  without 
any  other  effect  than  the  establishment  of  a  new  So- 
ciety by  the  small  body  of  dissentients :  the  old  Insti- 
tution, endeared  more  than  ever  to  her  best  friends  by 
the  triumphant  manner  in  which  she  has  weathered 
this  and  other  storms,  proceeds  prosperously  in  her 
career,  blessing  and  being  blessed. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  1831,  that  awful 
scourge,  the  Asiatic  cholera,  reacned  England ;  and 
so  great  was  the  apprehension  which  this  visitation 
spread  through  the  country,  that  in  the  following 
March  a  day  of  national  humiliation  before  God  was 
appointed.  The  friends  of  religion  were  rejoiced  at 
this  token  for  good  in  our  national  counsels.  The 
spirit  of  incendiarism,  which  had  led  to  the  reckless 
destruction  of  the  precious  fruits  of  the  earth ;  the 
general  political  excitement,  especially  on  the  sub- 
ject of  a  Reform  of  the  House  of  Commons,  and  the 
grievous  animosities  which  arose  from  it;  the  wide- 
spread  prevalence  of  infidelity  and  profaneness,  and 
the  public  neglect  of  God,  were  features  of  the  times 
so  awful,  that  they  seemed  to  be  hurrying  us  on  to 
national  ruin.  The  appointment  of  a  Fast  Day  was 
a  symptom  calculated  to  raise  the  drooping  hopes  of 
those  who  feared  God  in  this  awful  crisis,  and  they 
were   glad   to  avail   themselves    of  such    a  season   of 


288  THE  CHOLERA.  [Chap.  XVI. 

deep  humiliation  for  the  many  sins  and  provocations, 
by  which  God  had  been  so  grievously  dishonoured. 

"  We  are  specially  called,  in  these  days,"  writes  Mr.  Pratt  to 
his  son  at  College  in  1832,  "  to  sit  loose  to  the  earth  and  all 
its  litde  concerns,  for  we  know  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth 
in  our  public  affairs,  and  in  the  visitations  of  God's  hand  upon 
our  country.  I  gather  hope  from  the  seeming  piety  with  which 
the  day  of  humihation  was  observed;  for  though  there  was  a 
degree  of  impious  scoffing  at  the  solemnity  [in  the  House  of 
Commons]  such  as  I  never  remember  on  any  similar  occasion, 
there  was,  on  the  other  hand,  more  apparent  piety  than  I  ever 
saw.  So  it  is,  while  the  enemy  comes  in  like  a  flood,  the 
Spirit  of  God  lifts  up  a  standard  against  him.  If  our  faith 
and  hope  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  we  shall  see  the  working  of 
His  mighty  Hand  in  spiritual  blessings,  however  severe  may 
be  the  chastisements  which  our  sins  may  bring  upon  us.  May 
He  draw  us  all  nearer  to  Himself,  and  enable  us  to  walk  with 
Him  in  faith  and  holy  obedience  to  His  will !" 

In  August  he  writes  from  Great  Yarmouth   to  his 
younger  son,  at  Cambridge  : — 

"  I  had  great  doubts  as  to  being  able  to  come  here,  as  it 
pleased  God  to  carry  off  four  of  my  parishioners  by  cholera 
tlie  week  before  last:  none,  however,  of  these  fearful  cases 
occurring  since,  I  thought  it  not  necessary  to  continue  at  home. 
We  are  in  uncertainty  as  to  the  real  extent  of  this  renewal  of 
the  disease  in  London,  from  tlic  secrecy  which  has  generally 
been  observed  on  the  subject,  in  order  to  prevent  Foreign  States 
from  renewing  against  us  their  quarantine  regulations,  which 
have  been  injurious  to  our  commerce.  This  uncertainty  has 
occasioned,  I  believe,  much  exaggeration  in  reports ;  yet  1 
have  no  doubt  many  have  died,  and  more  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  persons  attacked,  than  were  carried  off  when  the 
disease  first  invaded  us  [early  in  the  year]. 


1832.]  THE  IRISH  CHURCH.  289 

"  In  fact,  this  seems  to  be  another  disease  added  to  those 
which  before  visited  the  earth ;  at  least,  one  which  has  taken 
a  new  and  aggravated  form.  It  forms  one  of  those  Signs  of 
the  Times  which  have  of  Lite  years  multiphed  upon  us,  to 
rouse  the  attention  of  a  wicked  world  to  the  government  and 
authority  of  Him  whom  it  neglects  and  despises.  But  what 
we  specially  want,  with  all  the  judgments  and  mercies  of  God, 
is  an  abundant  outpouring  of  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
on  sinners  for  their  conversion,  and  on  believers  for  their 
greater  sanctification.  We  must  expect  more  of  this  influence 
than  we  habitually  do,  and  must  pray  for  it  more  earnestly  and 
perseveringly ;  and  must  be  on  the  watch  against  those  habits 
of  mind  and  course  of  conduct,  which  are  unsuitable  to  such 
expectations  and  desires,  and  tend  to  grieve  and  repel  the  Holy 
Spirit  rather  than  to  invite  His  sacred  influences.  God  is 
working  mightily,  in  His  Providence,  over  our  own  and  other 
nations.  He  is  moulding  and  fashioning  them  to  His  own 
purposes,  though  very  few  of  the  rulers  and  lawgivers  of  the 
earth  have  any  concern  to  do  His  will  and  glorify  His  name. 
Were  it  not  that  we  can  repose  in  faith  upon  His  mercy  and 
power,  the  ploughing  up  of  society,  which  has  fearfully  begun 
in  Ireland,  and  threatens  our  own  Church  in  this  country, 
might  well  confound  us.  Infatuation  prevented  the  making  of 
such  arrangements  for  the  Irish  Church,  in  good  time,  as  would 
have  secured  its  real  interests  ;  and  now  it  is  utterly  impossible 
to  do  that  for  her,  which  would  have  been  readily  acceded  to 
twelve  months  ago.  The  same  course  of  infatuation  is  pur- 
suing, I  fear,  as  to  our  own  Church :  if  its  real  evils  were 
promptly  redressed,  it  would  stand  firm  in  its  strength ;  but 
while  nothing  effectual  is  done  to  remove  its  blemishes,  the 
sappers  are  at  work  at  the  foundation,  and  twelve  months  will 
put  it  out  of  our  power  to  prevent  the  venerable  old  building 
from  tottering  to  its  basis. 

"  These  things  should  drive  us   to  a  closer  walk  with  God. 
Commit  yourself,  my  dear  John,  to  your  Heavenly  Master  as 

u 


290  THE  REFORM  BILL.  [Chap.  XVL 

to  your  future  life.     Do  the  best  that  you  now  can  to  improve 
your  opportunities.     We  are  all,  through  Divine  mercy,  vrell." 

During  this  year  the  celebrated  "Reform  Bill," 
after  a  long  and  arduous  struggle,  became  the  law  of 
the  land.  It  was  the  tendencies  and  effects  of  the 
agitation  of  this  question  which  Mr.  Pratt  most  feared. 
Like  many  others  of  the  same  moderate  views,  he 
looked  for  good  from  the  operation  of  the  Bill  itself. 

"  If  it  shall  please  God,"  he  writes,  after  the  passing  of  the 
Bill,  "  to  give  us  of  this  land  a  right  mind,  the  way  is  now 
open  before  us  to  remove  from  our  Institutions,  with  calmness 
and  quiet,  whatever  ought  to  be  removed,  and  to  retain  with  a 
firm  hand  whatever  ought  to  be  retained." 

But,  fully  alive  to  the  imminent  perils  through 
which  our  country  had  been  brought  whilst  the 
measure  was  pending,  he  writes  at  the  same  time : — 

"  In  the  progress  of  this  change  there  were  critical  moments, 
when  the  lifting  of  a  finger  might  have  deluged  the  kingdom 
in  blood ;  but  all  was  conducted,  by  the  over-ruling  hand  of 
God,  to  a  peaceful  end.  *  *  *  To  the  prayers  of  the  servants 
of  God  among  us  we  may  well  ascribe  the  mercy  which  has  been 
shewn  to  us  :  if  the  nation  shall  be  piloted  safely  through  the 
dangers  — on  the  one  hand,  of  infatuated  adhesion  to  that  which 
is  confessedly  evil ;  and,  on  the  other,  of  reckless"  destruction — 
we  must  attribute  its  wisdom  and  its  safety  to  the  same  cause." 

In  February,  1833,  the  first  Reformed  Parliament 
assembled,  and  measures  of  "  Reform  in  the  Church" 
were  speedily  proposed.  That  wild  and  reckless 
desire  for  change,  which  the  recent  discussions  had 
tended  to  foster,  now  marshalled  itself  in  fearful 
array  against  the  Ecclesiastical  Establishment.     But 


1833.]  REFORM  IN  THE  CHURCH.  291 

the  measures  brought  forward  were,  in  their  general 
character,  such  as  to  disappoint  this  extravagant 
desire,  and  even  to  commend  themselves  to  many 
who,  like  Mr.  Pratt,  regarded  the  Church  as  essen- 
tial to  the  well-being  of  the  State,  and  at  the  same 
time  were  anxious  to  see  such  prudent  reforms  carried 
into  efFect,  as  would  remove  abuses  and  increase  the 
Church's  efficiency.  To  a  friend  in  India  he  thus 
writes,  April  9, 1834  : — 

"  We  certainly  see  reforms  in  progress  beyond  our  most 
sanguine  hopes  :  the  quiet  efforts  which  we  were  making  in  the 
Christian  Influence  Society  to  procure  some  modification  in 
respect  of  Phu'alities  and  Non-residence,  are  all  rendered  use- 
less by  decisive  and  comprehensive  measures,  which  it  is 
generally  vmderstood  will  be  speedily  proposed.  It  is  to  be 
expected  that  self-interest,  and  even  honest  and  disinterested 
but  long-cherished  opinions,  will  have  much  to  object  to  what 
will  be  proposed ;  and  we  hear,  and  shall  still  hear,  that  all 
things  are  in  ruins  :  but  if  it  shall  please  God  to  increase  among 
us  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  holiness  of  life,  and  devotedness  to 
Christ  and  to  the  salvation  of  souls,  I  have  no  fear  but  that 
any  loss  which  our  Church  may  suffer  in  its  outward  appur- 
tenances of  dignity  and  riches,  will  be  abundantly  compensated 
in  spiritual  blessings." 

The  Society  to  which  allusion  is  here  made,  con- 
sisted of  a  body  of  persons  of  like  mind  with  himself 
on  these  questions.  He  used  often  to  lament,  that  oppor- 
tunities for  doing  good  or  opposing  evil  were  lost  for 
want  of  watchfulness,  promptitude,  and  co-operation  at 
particular  junctures ;  and  he  thought  that  if  a  select 
body  of  wise  and  zealous  Christian  men,  seeking  no 
party  object,  were  to  form  themselves  into  an  Associa- 

u  2 


292  CHKISTIAN  INFLUENCE  SOCIETY.  [Chap.  XVI. 

tion  to  supply  this  deficiency,  much  benefit  would  accrue 
from  their  exertions.  Under  this  idea,  he  united  with 
a  few  friends,  in  the  year  1831,  in  forming  the  Society 
which  he  mentions  by  name  in  the  letter  just  quoted,  and 
which  was  to  be  neither  a  private  board,  nor  to  court 
unnecessary  publicity,  but  to  do  its  work  patiently, 
unostentatiously,  and  in  ffiith,  prayer,  and  perseverance. 

But  the  above  measures  moved  on  slowly  amidst  the 
theological,  ecclesiastical,  and  political  feuds,  wdiich 
were  overwhelming  the  nation. 

There  were  two  opposite  factions  which  resisted 
the  adoption  of  the  moderate  changes  and  improve- 
ments, which  His  Majesty's  Ministers  were  beginning 
to  introduce. 

On  the  one  hand  were  ranged  a  new  and  active 
sect,  composed  chiefly  of  Dissenters  who  agreed  with 
the  Church  of  England  in  her  leading  doctrinal  tenets, 
but  avowed  themselves  enemies  to  her  as  an  Esta- 
blishment, and  strangely  combined,  as  they  have  since 
done,  with  Infidels,  Socinians,  and  Papists,  to  attempt 
the  entire  disruption  of  Church  and  State. 

"  The  Dissenters  are  suffering,"  continues  Mr.  Pratt,  "  as  a 
religious  body,  irrecoverable  injury,  from  having  submitted  them- 
selves to  the  guidance  of  a  few  ambitious  men  among  them.  It  is 
now  no  longer  dissent  for  conscience'  sake,  with  thankfulness  for 
the  quiet  enjoyment  of  the  privilege  of  worshipping  and  preaching 
according  to  their  own  judgment;  but  it  is  a  claim  to  be  placed  on 
an  equal  footing  with  the  Churcli,  and  to  have  the  Church  sepa- 
rated from  the  State,  and  the  Voluntary  System  adopted  in  its 
stead.  Appeals  on  both  sides  are  made  to  the  state  of  America, 
and  high  boastings  are  made  on  the  part  of  Dissenters  of  their 
numbers  and  strength  in  this  country.     The  Methodists  have 


1 


183-1.]  THE  DISSENTERS.  293 

just  given  a  severe  blow  to  these  boastings,  by  avowing,  in  the 
last  Magazines,  that  they  have  no  common  feeling  with  these 
Dissenters  in  reference  to  the  Church,  but  that  they  heartily 
wish  and  pray  for  its  permanence  and  its  purification  :  nor 
will  the  case  of  America  yield  more  support  to  the  opponents, 
as  the  Bishop  of  London  shews  in  the  Appendix  to  two  Ser- 
mons lately  published." 

On  the  other  hand  stood  the  party  who  were 
opposed  to  all  change  whatever,  especially  at  what  was 
justly  considered  so  eventful  a  crisis  of  agitation  and 
excitement.  The  very  vehemence  and  importunity  of 
those  who  called  for  the  disruption  of  Church  and  State, 
strengthened  their  determination  to  resist  all  reform  ; 
and  the  re-action  was  such  as  to  awaken  the  fears 
and  forebodings  of  wise  and  moderate  Churchmen. 

"  Our  beloved  Church,"  Mr.  Pratt  continues,  "  is  in  the  fur- 
nace. If  those  who,  at  present,  can  control  the  fire  would 
apply  a  steady  and  moderate  heat,  the  dross  alone  would 
perish,  and  the  metal  would  come  forth  resplendent :  but  I 
fear  that  this  wisdom  is  lacking ;  and  that  the  want  of  it  will 
open  access  to  rude  hands,  which  will  heap  up  fuel  till  much 
more  than  the  dross  will  be  destroyed.  To  drop  all  figure, 
our  efficiency,  and  even  safety,  do,  under  God,  depend,  in  my 
judgment,  on  the  maintenance  of  the  present  [the  Grey] 
Ministry  in  power.  In  regard  to  religious  principles,  the 
balance  may,  perhaps,  be  in  their  favour ;  but  as  to  measures, 
a  sufficient  reformation  of  the  Church  will  never  be  effected  by 
the  opposing  body,  and  can  be  looked  for  from  those  only  who 
are  in  power:  whereas,  should  these  be  displaced  by  their 
opponents,  the  inefficiency  of  that  body  will  soon  open  the 
floodgates  to  a  tide,  the  violence  of  which  the  present  Ministry, 
and  those  who  think  with  them,  would  then,  perhaps,  have  no 
power  to  moderate  and  manage." 


294  RISE  OF  THE  TRACTARIAN  PARTY.        [Chap.  XVI. 

It  was  at  this  crisis  that  a  third  party  sprung  up  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Church,  on  some  points  in  unison 
w'itli  their  Tory  allies,  but  holding  new  and  more  dan- 
gerous principles.  Their  secret  leanings  to  Popery 
itself  were  soon  detected,  as  the  successive  numbers 
of  the  "  Tracts  for  the  Times,"  their  acknowledged 
organ,  issued  from  the  press.  Mr.  Pratt  was  one  of 
those  who  detected  from  the  first  the  deep-laid  mis- 
chief of  the  whole  system,  both  in  its  doctrinal  and 
ritual,  as  well  as  its  political,  errors :  and  he  traced  it, 
as  we  shall  have  occasion  to  shew,  through  all  the 
stages  of  its  development,  with  a  mind  full  of  appre- 
hension for  the  safety  of  our  beloved  Church :  he  was 
convinced  that,  under  this  baneful  influence,  it  was  in 
most  imminent  peril,  not  merely  of  being  crippled  in 
its  external  efficiency,  but  of  being  deeply  poisoned 
in  its  principles  and  faith. 

But  God  has  hitherto  mercifully  preserved  us. 
Many  champions  of  the  truth  have  been  raised  up 
"  earnestly  to  contend  for  the  faith  which  was  once 
delivered  to  the  saints ;"  and  one  more  has  been 
added  to  the  many  exemplifications  of  the  promise 
already  referred  to,  that  "when  the  enemy  cometh 
in  like  a  flood,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  lift  up 
a  standard  against  him."  It  was  to  one  of  these 
honoured  servants  of  the  Gospel,  that  the  letter  last 
quoted  was  addressed  :  and  it  has  been  only  to  pre- 
vent interrupting  the  above  brief  notice  of  these  mo- 
mentous times,  which  so  deeply  engaged  the  thoughts 
and  prayers  of  Mr.  Pratt,  that  we  have  not  mentioned 
the  circumstance  which  took  that  friend  to  the  East. 


1831.]  DEATH  OF  BISHOP  TURNER.  295 

In  December,  1831,  the  melancholy  tidings  reached 
England,  of  the  death  of  the  fourth  Bishop  of  Calcutta. 
Within  the  brief  interval  of  nine  years  had  four  suc- 
cessive prelates  fallen  victims  to  the  climate.*  Under 
these  circumstances,  none  but  a  man  actuated  by  a 
high  sense  of  duty  was  fit  to  encounter  the  peril  of 
engaging  in  such  a  service  ; — a  man  ready  to  go  forth 
at  his  Master's  call,  though  with  the  sentence  of  death, 
as  it  were,  upon  him. 

The  appointment  fell  on  one  who  did  not  shrink 
from  the  arduous  undertaking,  and  who,  by  his  abun- 
dant labours,  extending  through  a  period  considerably 
exceeding  the  accumulated  years  which  his  four  pre- 
decessors lived  in  the  country,  has  fully  realized, 
through  the  goodness  and  grace  of  God,  the  high 
expectations  which  were  formed  on  his  elevation  to 
the  See. 

The  following  letter  marks  the  great  interest  which 
Mr.  Pratt  took  in  the  appointment  of  his  long-tried 
friend  to  this  responsible  post,  and  also  his  deep 
anxiety  that  no  preoaution  should  be  neglected  for  the 
preservation  of  his  valuable  life.  He  rejoiced  to  see 
one  going  forth  to  preside  over  the  infant  Church  in 
India,  who  had,  from  the  beginning,  been  so  well 
acquainted  with  the  Missionary  operations  of  our 
Societies  in  the  East,  and  who  had  himself  taken  no 
small  share  in  promoting  the  same  cause  at  home. 


*  Bishop  Middleton  died  July  8,  1822;  Bishop  Heber  died  April  3, 
1826  ;  Bishop  James  died  August  22,  1828 ;  Bishop  Turner  die<l  July  7, 
1831. 


29G  THE  REV.  DANIEL  WILSON  [CuAr.  XVI. 

"  FiNSBURY  Circus,  March  30, 1832. 
"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND— 

"  I  was  prepared,  by  what  had  passed  between  us  on  the  sub- 
ject, for  your  acceptance  of  the  appointment  to  Calcutta,  on  its 
being  officially  brought  before  you.     You  have  accepted  the 
office,  I  am  fully  persuaded,  under  a  deep  persuasion  of  its 
beino-  your  duty  to  do  so,  and  with  no  small  sacrifice  of  per- 
sonal feelings,  and  of  social  and  pastoral  comforts.     Men  of 
mere  secular  ambition  may  smile  at  this  notion  of  sacrifice ; 
for  with  them  dignity,  and  power,  and  influence,  and  a  name, 
outweigh  other  considerations.     Our  own  treacherous  hearts, 
indeed,  are  ever  looking  askance  at  these  objects ;  but  this  is 
the  burden  of  the  sincere  and  devout  spirit :  and  your  friends 
cannot  render  you  a  service  which  you  will  more  highly  esteem, 
I  am  sure,  than  aiding  you  in  this  conflict  by  their  prayers. 
You  have  often  had  my  prayers  in  your  arduous  labours  at 
Islington  ;  and  will  hereafter  engage  a  larger  share,  I  do  not 
say   in   my   Christian  love,  but   in    my  intercessions   for  the 
builders  of  God's  spiritual  temple.      You  are  now  about  to 
enter  the  ranks  of  those  who  'jeopard  their  lives  unto  the 
death  in  the  high  places  of  the  field.'     The  fifth  Bishop  of 
Calcutta  in  eighteen  years!*     This  gives,  my  dear  friend,  a 
very  short  average  of  labour ;  and  you  go  out  under  circum- 
stances of  age  and  temperament,  which  will  expose  you  more  to 
the  debilitating  influence  of  the   climate,  under  weighty,  and 
complicated,  and  numerous   demands  on  the  mind  and  body, 
than  a  younger  and  more   phlegmatic  man  would  be.     It  is 
happy  for  you  that  the  ground  has  been  broken  up  before  you, 
and  the  plan   laid,  and  some  progress  made,  under  the  varied 
yet  concurring  judgments  of  your  four  predecessors,  aided  by 
the  calm  and  experienced  mind  of  Archdeacon  Corrie ;  and  it 
relieves  me  of  much  anxiety  on  your  account  that  such  a  man, 


*   liishop  Middlfton's  Letter.s  Patent  were  datctl  IMay  2,  1814. 


1832]  APPOINTED  TO  THE  SEE  OF  CALCUTTA.  297 

if  it  shall  please  God  to  spare  his  health,  will  still  be  at  the 
Bishop's  side,  and  act  as  your  *  eye,'  not  only  in  the  matters 
which  may  concern  your  dealings  with  the  Court  in  Fort 
William,  but  in  those  distant  and  multifarious  objects  which 
require  his  long  and  clear-sighted  vision.  In  some  sense  it 
may  be  your  motto,  '  My  strength  is  to  sit  still !' — I  mean, 
directing  the  action  of  the  machine  already  constructed,  cor- 
recting any  defective  working,  strengthening  its  parts,  and 
enlarging  its  powers,  rather  than  aiming  at  any  change  of 
structure,  or  any  new  principle  of  action.     *    *    ♦ 

"  But  I  have  run  out  much  further  than  I  intended  :  though 
I  confess  myself  anxious,  and  therefore  I  speak  with  the  free- 
dom of  old  friendship,  that  you  should  spare  yourself  that  you 
may  wear  long.  Then,  though  I  may  not  live  to  hail  you  on 
your  return,  multitudes  of  friends  will  receive  you  with  joy, 
after  some  ten  years'  campaign,  should  it  please  our  Heavenly 
Master  to  spare  you  to  come  and  close  your  labours  in  your 
native  land  and  among  your  own  people.  To  His  grace  and 
mercy  I  heartily  commend  you,  and  am  ever,  my  dear  friend, 

"  Most  affectionately  yours, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt. 

"  My  wife  and  children  all  specially  unite  with  me  in  Christian 
congratulations  and  prayers,  and  beg  you  to  appoint  some  early 
day  to  pay  us  a  last  visit." 

The  allusion  to  his  not  himself  living  to  witness 
the  joy,  with  which  the  Bishop's  return  would  be 
greeted  by  his  friends,  was  most  affectingly  realized, 
as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel.  The  Bishop  embarked 
on  the  19th  of  June,  1832,  and  four  days  previously 
Mr.  Pratt  and  his  family  paid  him  a  farewell  visit. 
This  departure  of  one,  to  whom  he  had  been  so  long 
attached  in  personal  and  brotherly  intercourse,  created 
a  new  tie  to  the  East,   where   he  had  already  many 


299  BISHOP  WILSON  EMBARKS.  [Chap.  XVI. 

friends,  and  where  the  labours  of  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  had  long  had  a  large  share  in  his  warmest 
alTections  and  his  earnest  prayers.  He  traced  the 
Bishop  in  all  his  journeyings  through  his  immense 
diocese,  and  always  took  a  very  lively  interest  in  his 
plans. 

After  ceasing  to  be  officially  connected  with  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  his  time  was  engrossed  in 
the  care  of  his  parish,  and  in  the  preparation  of  the 
"  Missionary  Register."  There  were  occasional  ex- 
ceptions, indeed,  when  the  importance  of  the  case 
seemed  to  claim  a  deviation  from  the  beaten  path. 
One  instance,  in  particular,  occurs  to  memory. 

His  position  as  a  City  Incumbent  led  him  to  take 
a  lively  interest  in  the  establishment  of  the  City-of- 
London  School,  founded  by  the  Corporation  in  1834, 
on  the  basis  of  an  ancient  endowment  left  by  John 
Carpenter,  Town  Clerk  of  London  in  the  reign  of 
Henry  VI.,  at  the  suggestion  and  through  the  zealous 
exertions  of  Mr.  W.  S.  Hale,  one  of  Mr.  Pratt's 
parochial  friends  and  supporters  already  alluded  to. 
Mr.  Hale  requested  his  Pastor's  advice  on  this  occa- 
sion: nor  did  his  Pastor  refuse.  He  felt  it  was  an 
important  opportunity  for  giving  to  the  sons  of  the 
citizens  a  course  of  education  which  should  combine 
the  knowledge  of  true  religion  with  sound  and  useful 
learning,  and  involving  less  expense  than  was  ordi- 
narily incurred.  But  he  felt  that  "  the  education 
pursued  in  the  Public  Grammar  Schools  of  this 
country  is  not  that  which  is  best  fitted  for  those  who 
are  to  spend  their  lives  in  the  active  pursuit  of  trade 


183J.]  THE  CITY-OF-LONDON  SCHOOL.  299 

and  commerce.  While  the  attainment  of  general 
knowledge  is  rather  left  in  those  seminaries  to  be 
grafted  afterward  on  the  classical  education  there 
given,  it  is  conceived  that  the  proper  course  in  the 
Corporation  School  would  be  to  give  a  prominent 
place  to  that  general  knowledge  which  will  best  fit 
citizens  to  occupy  their  stations  in  society  with  intelli- 
gence ;  but  to  associate  with  this  such  a  competent 
acquaintance  with  the  classics,  as  may  both  form  their 
taste  in  matters  of  literature,  and  may  qualify  them  to 
enter  on  a  College  course,  if  any  of  them  should  be  so 
minded." 

With  that  constructive  talent  for  which  he  was 
remarkable,  he  drew  out  a  paper  of  suggestions  for  the 
proposed  School,  recommending,  inter  alia,  that  the 
Holy  Bible,  according  to  the  Authorised  Version, 
should  be  daily  used  and  taught  in  the  School ;  and 
that  no  persons  should  be  eligible  to  the  two  Senior 
Masterships  without  the  certificate  of  three  Professors 
of  King's  College,  London,  and  three  Professors  of  the 
London  University.  An  Act  of  Parliament  was  ob- 
tained, embodying  these  principles,  and  the  School  is 
now  giving  an  excellent  education  to  600  boys,  with 
prizes  and  fifteen  scholarships  to  the  Universities.* 

*  It  is  an  interesting  coincidence,  noticed  by  Mr.  Anderson  in  liis 
"  Annals  of  the  English  Bible,"  that  this  School  stands  on  the  site  of  the 
ancient  Church  of  All  Hallows,  Honey  Lane;  the  Curate  of  which,  Thomas 
Garrard,  was  one  of  the  first  to  suffer  persecution  for  the  circulation  of 
Tyndale's  English  Testament  a.d.  1528,  and  afterwards,  when  Rector  of 
the  same  Church,  brought  to  the  stake  in  the  same  quarrel  a.d.  1641. 
(See  Foxc's  "Acts  and  Monuments,"  Seeleys'  Edition,  London,  1848, 
Vol.  V.  pp.  421-438.) 


3(jo  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XVI. 

He  found  but  little  time  for  general  correspondence. 
His  letters,  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life,  were 
either  addressed  to  relatives  or  friends  when  in  afflic- 
tion, or  were  such  as  contained  some  special  advice 
under  the  trying  circumstances   of  the  times.     The 
following  is  of  the  latter  class  :  it  was  addressed  to  a 
person  who  had  consulted  him  on  a  case  of  conscience. 
It  appears  that  the  spirit  of  rivalry  was  so  great  in 
the  line  of  trade  in  which  the  person  consulting  him 
was  engaged,  that  it  was  becoming  nearly  impossible 
for  an  honest  tradesman  to  determine  '^a  particular 
price    for    a  ^Mr^/c^/Zar   article ; "    so    that  when    his 
traveller  went  his  round  for   orders  he   found  that 
others    had    preceded    him,   and,    by   underbidding, 
obliged  him   to  lower  his   own    prices  to  keep  his 
customers.     This  was  being  carried  to  such  an  extent 
that   the   same  goods  which  one  man  bought    at   a 
certain  price  would  perhaps  cost  his  next-door  neigh- 
bour 15,  20,  or  25  per  cent.  more.    This  was  a  system 
likely  to  embarrass  an  honest  and  fair-dealing  man  : 
and  upon  this  ground  Mr.  Pratt's  advice  was  sought, 
and  given  as  follows  : — 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR 

"  We  must  never  lose  sight,  in  our  dealings,  of  that  Divine 
rule,  'Whatsoever  ye  would,'  that  is,  justly  and  reasonably, 
'  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  so  unto  them.'  The 
price  at  which  you  sell  your  goods  may  be  justly  varied, 
according  to  the  length  of  credit  which  you  may  be  called  to 
give,  and  any  extra  expense  on  account  of  distance.  I  think, 
also,  that  a  conscientious  tradesman  may  sell  his  goods  lower 
where  his  money  is  sure,  than  when  he  runs  considerable  risk ; 


13-29—1834.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  301 

but  in  such  a  case  he  ought,  as  it  appears  to  me,  to  say  to  the 
buyer,  '  If  you  pay  me  by  such  a  time,  I  will  take  off  so  much 
per  cent.'  That  is,  he  will  take  off  as  much  as  will  reduce  the 
charge  to  that  which  it  would  have  been  if  he  had  been  reason- 
ably sure  of  his  money.  The  point  to  be  avoided  by  the  con- 
scientious dealer  is,  the  making  of  two  prices  to  men  under 
exactly  like  circumstances.  If  he  wished  to  favour  a  relative, 
or  a  friend,  or  a  young  beginner  in  business,  let  him  charge  his 
fair  price,  and  make  any  abatement,  not  in  the  way  of  trade, 
but  as  an  act  of  kindness.  Never  let  any  man's  representations 
of  his  purchasing  goods  at  a  lower  price  than  you  charge  lead 
you,  of  itself,  to  abate  in  your  charges.  If  the  competition  in 
trade  be  such  as  to  withdraw  business  from  you  urdess  you 
sell  at  prices  which  will  not  support  you,  you  must  then  look 
out  for  some  other  means  of  subsistence,  trusting  in  Him  who 
has  said,  *  In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  Him,  and  He  will 
direct  thy  paths.'  If  your  prices  be  so  reduced  that  you  can 
but  just  make  your  way,  go  on,  patiently  submitting,  and  wait- 
ing for  better  days.  Having  settled  your  prices  on  fixed  prin- 
ciples of  fair  dealing,  so  as  to  sell  to  all  men  imder  like  circum- 
stances at  the  same  prices,  and  those  at  the  lowest  which  the 
state  of  things  may  require  and  your  necessity  may  allow,  then 
decline  all  temptations  to  deviate  from  this  course,  and  tell  all 
who  may  lay  such  temptations  in  your  way,  that  you  offer  your 
goods  at  the  lowest  prices  at  which  you  can  keep  up  their 
quality  and  at  the  same  time  afford  you  a  necessary  subsistence. 
Whatever  may  be  the  issue  of  this  course,  you  may,  I  think, 
satisfy  yourself  that  you  are  acting  therein  as  it  becomes  a 
Christian ;  and  may,  therefore,  with  comfort  and  peace,  leave 
yourself  and  your  concerns  in  the  hand  of  God.  May  He 
graciously  bless  you  and  your  family,  and  bring  you  all  into 
His  righteous  ways,  and  keep  you  therein  to  the  end  ! 
"  T  am,  my  dear  Sir,  very  truly  yours, 

"JosiAii  Pratt. 
'"''  Finshury  Circus, . 


302  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XVI. 

"  P.  S.  I  wish  to  add  to  my  letter  of  yesterday,  that  there 
are  cases  when  the  largeness  of  an  order,  or  its  clearing  off 
goods  wliich  may  be  likely  to  grow  into  disuse,  or  to  hang  long 
on  hand,  may  justify,  as  it  appears  to  me,  an  abatement  in  the 
usual  charge ;  but  conscience  must  judge  wdiether  the  occasion 
be  such  as  to  justify  such  departure  from  the  general  rule." 

The  following  extracts  are  from  letters  of  consola- 
tion written  about  this  time : — 

To  Miss  S C . 

"my  dear  S 

"  Do  not  think,  because  I  feel  myself  constrained  to  address 
a  letter  to  you,  that  I  am  about  to  interfere  with  what  may 
more  properly  belong  to  your  medical  advisers.  It  is  not  my 
province  to  give  an  opinion  on  your  health,  but  I  have  a  higher 
province  and  privilege  assigned  to  me.  It  may  please  our 
Heavenly  Father  to  restore  you  to  perfect  health,  and  to  make 
you  a  comfort  and  blessing  to  your  dear  parents  and  brothers 
and  sisters  and  friends  for  many  years  ;  and  it  is  my  frequent 
prayer  for  you,  that  He  would  do  this  if  it  be  for  His  glory  : 
but  as  your  Pastor,  and  your  friend  in  Christ,  our  common 
Saviour  and  Lord,  I  can  remind  you  of  a  still  higher  privilege 
than  the  assurance  of  your  continuing  in  this  world  if  it  should 
be  for  God's  glory :  for  not  only  is  life  yours,  if  you  are  Christ's, 
but  death  is  yours.  To  you  to  live  will  be  Christ ;  you  shall 
live  in  the  continual  fsivour  of  your  Heavenly  Father  through 
the  merits  and  intercession  of  your  Saviour,  and  you  shall  live 
in  faith  and  growing  love  and  holiness  by  the  grace  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ :  and  when  you  die,  death  will  be  your  gain  ; 
for  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ,  in  His  immediate  and 
sensible  presence,  is  fiir  better  than  to  toil  in  a  world  of  sin, 
bearing  up  against  an  unbelieving  and  treacherous  heart,  a 
malicious  and  subtle  enemy,  and  an  ensnaring  and  defiling 
scene  around  us.  The  rest  and  holiness  of  heaven  would  be, 
indeed,  'far  better'  as  it  respects  our  present  comfort  and  joy. 


1829—1834]  CORRESPONDENCE.  003 

than  to  continue  here ;  but  while  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  we 
should  continue,  it  is  '  far  better,'  that  is,  more  for  His  glory, 
and  more  for  our  everlasting  good,  that  we  should  bear  up 
under  our  toils  and  sufferings  here.  In  truth,  the  real  and  best 
rest  of  a  Christian  is,  to  have  no  will  but  the  will  of  the  Lord. 

I  do,  therefore,  my  dear  S ,  offer  you,  with  all  Christian 

affection,  my  advice  and  counsel,  that  you  make,  by  the  gracious 
aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  an  explicit  surrender  of  yourself,  in 
body,  soul,  and  spirit,  to  your  merciful  Saviour.     You  have 
often  done  this,  I   doubt  not,  in  times  past ;  but  I  mean  that 
you  should  do  it  by  a  solemn  act,  in  secret  between  you  and 
your  God,  in  especial  reference  to  His  present  dealings  with 
you.     I  know  that  it  is  natural  and  lawful  that  you  should  love 
and  cling  to  such  parents,  and  relatives,  and  friends  as  He  has 
given  you  ;  and  that,  in  the  opening  of  your  years,  you  should 
have  looked  forward  to   a  share   in   those   best   comforts   of 
domestic  peace  and  love  which  the  creature  can  afford :  and  I 
feel,  that,  with  all  the  glorious  light  which  the  Word  of  God 
throws  over  the  world  beyond  the  grave,  our  fears  and  mis- 
givings and  remaining  corruptions  make  us  shrink  from  the 
awful  change.     Then  let  us  look  for  special  help  from  the 
Lord.     Now  is  the  time  for  that  act  of  faith  to  which  St.  Paul 
refers,  when  he   says   to  Timothy,   '  I    know   whom    I    have 
believed,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  He  is  able  to  keep  that  which 
I  have  committed  unto  Him  against  that  day.'     He  who  hath 
redeemed  your  body  and  soul  from  everlasting  death  by  the 
sacrifice  of  Himself,  will  watch   over  you  for  your  salvation 
until  He  shall  present  you,  with  all  the  redeemed,  before  the 
throne  of  His  Father.     You  may,  perhaps,  have  misgivings  at 
times,  and  sinkings  of  heart,  when  you  compare  your  state  with 
your  vows  and  obligations.     But  have  you  not  received  gi-ace 
to  choose  the  Lord  as  your  portion  ?     Are  you  not  looking  for 
the  mercy  of  God,  through  Christ,  to  bring  you  to  eternal 
life  ?     Is  it  not  your  prevailing  desire,  by  the  gracious  work  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  on  your  soul,  to  be  separated  for  ever  from 


304  CORRESPONDENCE.  [CiiAr.  XVI. 

all  that  displeases  God,  and  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
His  Son  ?  Then,  while  you  bow  your  head  in  sorrow  and 
shame  for  your  countless  infirmities  and  failings,  praise  God 
for  all  that  He  has  done ;  acknowledge  His  gracious  hand  and 
free  mercy ;  build  upon  His  promises,  and  plead  them  at  the 
foot  of  the  throne  as  all  assured  to  you,  '  Yea,  and  Amen  in 
Christ  Jesus.'  The  simpler  your  acts  of  faith  on  Christ,  the 
happier  will  your  soul  be.  Go  to  Him  daily,  hourly,  just  as 
you  are.  Weak,  sinking,  dis-spirited,  depressed,  tempted, 
burdened  though  you  may  be — remember  that  He  knows  how 
to  feel  for  you  and  to  succour  you.  Let  faith  drive  away  the 
busy  crowd  of  harassing  and  disquieting  thoughts.  Lay  hold 
on  Him  by  the  hand  of  faith,  whose  healing  virtue  was  drawn 
out  when  on  earth  by  that  hand  only  touching  the  border  of 
His  garment.  May  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  whose  only  gift  this 
faith  Cometh,  work  it  in  you !  In  the  study  of  the  ^^"ord,  and 
by  prayer,  this  blessing  will  be  obtained :  and  though  '  all 
Scripture  is  profitable'  in  order  that  'the  man  of  God  may  be 
throughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works,'  some  portions  are 
more  especially  suited  to  particular  times.  I  should  recom- 
mend you  to  meditate  on  the  tenth  to  the  seventeenth  Chapters 
of  St.  John,  and  on  the  Epistles  of  St.  Peter.  I  would  rather 
that  you  should  not  feel  yourself  under  the  slightest  obligation 
to  answer  this  letter.  If,  indeed,  you  are  now,  or  may  be 
hereafter,  under  any  exercises  of  mind,  on  which  you  would 
wish  any  advice  or  opinion  from  me,  I  should  be  glad  to  hear 
from  you  in  any  way  that  may  give  you  the  least  trouble.  Be 
assui'ed  that  we  bear  you  on  our  hearts  as  fellow-travellers 
with  you  to  an  everlasting  home,  and  pray  that  God  our  Saviour 
may  be  glorified  in  and  by  you,  by  life  and  by  death. 

"  I  am  ever,  dear  S , 

"  Your  affectionate  friend, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 

To   his    eldest    daughter,    during    the   dangerous 


1829—1833.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  305 

illness  of  her  eldest  child,  which  terminated  in  death, 
he  writes : — 

"  London,  Nov.  14,  1831. 
"  MY  DEAR  CAROLINE — 

"  I  trust  it  will  please  God  to  spare  your  dear  child  ;  but 
I  cannot  but  pray  that  you  and  your  husband  may  be  graciously 
prepared  to  surrender  her  to  her  and  your  Heavenly  Father,  if 
He  should  be  pleased  to  call  her  to  Himself.  You  naturally 
indulge  anticipations  of  good  for  her,  first  on  earth,  and 
eternally  in  heaven.  But  when  you  reflect  on  the  fearful 
dangers  which  will  inevitably  beset  her  path  (though  we  have 
abundant  ground  of  encouragement,  both  from  the  Word  of 
God  and  the  course  of  His  dealings,  to  believe  that  we  shall 
meet  those  in  heaven  whom  we  have  brought  up  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord),  your  heart  must  often  tremble. 
And  I  know  no  trial  of  our  feelings,  therefore,  to  which  we  are 
exposed,  in  all  our  relations  in  life,  which  should  sooner  be 
quieted,  than  the  loss  of  those  little  ones  who  '  cannot  discern 
between  their  right  hand  and  their  left.'  All  uncertainty 
respecting  them  is  gone  for  ever  with  their  parting  breath. 
As  their  angels,  while  they  are  living  in  this  world,  do  always 
behold  the  face  of  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  these  little 
ones  do  but  depart  to  behold  that  face  themselves.  And  when- 
ever God  is  pleased  to  take  them  away  early  from  under  our 
care,  remember  that  it  is  to  secure  them,  and  to  perfect  them, 
and  to  glorify  them  for  ever.  Give  them  your  tears :  '  Jesus 
wept!'  But  let  faith  and  gratitude  dry  up  your  tears,  and 
almost  stop  them  as  they  flow. 

Do  not  think,  from  the  strain  of  my  writing,  that  we  give  up 
your  dear  child  as  lost ;  but,  knowing  how  soon  disease  brings 
down  such  httle  ones  to  the  grave,  and  remembering  that,  as 
parents,  you  will  be  exposed  to  these  alarms  even  should  this 
mercifully  pass  away,  I  felt  myself  moved  to  put  you  on  your 
guard  against  too  sure  a  dependence  on  their  lives,  and  too 
close  a  clinging  of  your  hearts  to  them.     Our  constant  care 

X 


306  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chai-.  XVI. 

and  earnest  prayer,  as  parents,  should  be,  not  to  make  their 
death  needful  as  a  chastisement  for  our  own  good.  When  we 
can  hold  them  as  from  God,  and  under  God,  and  for  God, 
then  are  they  most  likely  to  be  continued  with  us :  but  if 
we  lose  sight  of  this,  and  cherish  the  feeling  of  their  being 
ours,  so  as  to  suffer  them  to  steal  our  hearts  from  God,  it  may 
please  Him  to  rebuke  us,  while  He  renders  them  eternally 
safe,  and  holy,  and  blessed.  I  leave  space  for  a  line  or  two 
from  your  mother,  and,  with  kindest  regards  to  Mr.  Clowes, 
am  ever,  dear  Caroline, 

"  Your  affectionate  Father, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

The  following  letter  was  occasioned  by  the  deatli 
of  his  nephew,  the  Rev.  Edward  George  Simcox,  in 
South  Wales,  and  is  addressed  to  his  brother-in-law. 
After  alluding  to  the  surprise  with  which  the  tidings 
had  come  upon  him,  he  proceeds : — 

"  But  all  is  well !  Great  mercy  has  been  mingled  with  the 
bitter  ingredients  of  the  cup.  Not  the  least  of  these  is,  the 
support  which,  under  your  remaining  debility,  our  gracious 
Lord  has  afforded  to  you.  The  preparation  of  mind  which 
you  observed  in  my  dear  nephew  is  a  sustaining  consideration, 
which  must  bear  us  up  against  overmuch  sorrow.  For  our 
dearest  kindred  to  die  Christians,  and  to  go  to  the  Saviour,  and 
give  us  good  evidence  of  this,  are  blessings  of  such  incon- 
ceivable value,  that  though  we  may  be  allowed  to  weep  for  a 
season,  and  in  moderation,  because  we  are  poor  and  feeble 
creatures  yet  in  the  body,  faith  must  stint  our  tears,  and  teach 
us  to  be  more  happy  in  their  never-ending  holiness  and  joy, 
than  mournful  under  our  own  bereavements.  I  do  indeed  feel 
for  my  dear  sister.     »     •     •     * 

"  I  have  written  to  my  sister,  tliat,  if  a  sore  throat  under 
which  I  am  suffering  should  get  sufficiently  better,  I  purpose 
to  endeavour  to  be  at  Harborne  next  week.     I  am  not  well  in 


1829—1833.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  307 

Other  respects,  but  still  hope  to  be  able  to  go  down,  as  I  am 
anxious  to  do  all  in  my  power  to  lead  her  mind  to  the  only 
true  and  sufficient  Comforter.  He  who  wounds,  and  He  only, 
can  heal ;  and  if  her  wound  shall  never  be  perfectly  healed  in 
this  life,  yet  the  pain  may  be  greatly  mitigated,  and  they  may 
be  made  to  be  perpetual  reminders  to  her,  that  the  country  of 
our  wounds  is  not  the  country  of  our  repose. 

"  Our  Gracious  Master  has  dealt  with  wonderful  mercy 
towards  us  all.  Spiritual  prosperity  with  outward  afflictions  ! 
Who  would  not  praise  Him  for  the  troubles  which  He  so  fruc- 
tifies ?  *If  by  any  means'  may  He  make  us  all  partakers  of 
His  eternal  glory  ! 

"  Only  Marianne  is  at  home  with  me.  All  the  rest  are  at 
Streatham,  where  we  have  had  lodgings  for  a  few  weeks.  She 
unites  in  kindest  regards  to  yourself  and  dear  Harriet.  Let 
not  that  young  heart  fear,  or  be  reluctant  to  trust  that  Saviour 
who  never  troubles  but  in  love." 

About  the  same  time  his  valued  friend  Mr.  Hoare 
was  called  to  sustain  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of 
his  eldest  son.  He  had  passed  through  his  College 
career  with  much  honour  to  himself,  had  married,  and 
entered  on  the  business  of  life  as  a  banker  in  the 
City,  and  gave  promise  of  occupying  and  maintaining 
an  important  position,  as  a  Christian  gentleman  and 
active  philanthropist :  but  it  was  otherwise  ordered. 
The  following  letter  is  addressed  to  his  bereaved  and 
afflicted  parents : — 

"  October  27,  1033. 
"  'Why  weepest  thou?'  occurring  twice  in  my  reading  this 
morning  in  John  xx.,  my  mind  was  naturally  led  to  your 
mourning  family.  Faith  does,  and  will  do,  I  doubt  not,  more 
for  you  than  the  well-known  voice  of  the  Master  did  in  changing 
Mary's  tears  into  joyful  exultations.     His  bodily  presence  en- 

X  2 


.•308  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XVI. 

raptured  her ;  she  had  to  learn  what  that  meant  in  which  we 
are  all  equally  interested  with  her,  */  ascend  imto  my  Father 
and  your  Father,   to  my  God  and  your  God.^     The  union  of 
all  Christ's  members,  whether  as  on  earth  or  absent  from  the 
body,   with  Him,  their  living  Head,  and  through   Him  with 
the  Father,  is  not  affected  by  time  or  circumstances.     In  that 
union  it  was  the  high  privilege  of  your  departed  son  to  partici- 
pate.   The  decisive  evidence  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
his   soul,  which  his  life  and  his   descent   to  the  grave   have 
afforded,  may  well  comfort  your  hearts  with  the  assurance  that 
he  has  followed  his   Saviour  to  Paradise ;    and   as  you  are, 
through   sovereign  mercy,  partakers  with   him    in   the   same 
grace,   he  might  have  parted  from  you  in   the  words  of  his 
Lord,  '  I  ascend  unto  my  Father  and  your  Father,  to  my  God 
and  your  God.'     I  cannot  but  hope  indeed,  as  I  do  earnestly 
pray,  that  not  you  only,  his  dear  parents  and  beloved  widow, 
may  claim  a  covenant  interest  in  his  Father  and  God,  by  faith 
in  the  Incarnate  Redeemer,  but  that  his  brothers,  before  whom 
life  is  now  opening,  and  the  younger  members  of  the  family  before 
whom  it  will  soon  begin  to  open,  may  diligently  seek  that  grace 
which  enabled  their  beloved  brother,  in  the  vigour  of  his  youth, 
deliberately  to  renounce  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil, 
and  to  follow  Christ,  as  His  soldier  and  servant,   to  his  life's 
end.     Your  plans  and  hopes,  my  dear  friends,  which  you  had 
associated  in  your  own  minds  with  your  beloved  son,  as  to 
this    world,  and  your  family,  are  all   tliwarted.      You   asked 
your  Samuel  of  tlie  Lord,   and  He  gave  him   to  you,  as  you 
hoped,  to  build  up  your  house  still  further  for  God.     But  He 
had  other  designs  concerning  him ;  and  when  you  witnessed 
with  joy  the  maturity  of  his  spirit  in  the  grace  of  the  Gospel, 
it  was  not,  as  you  thought,  for  greater  usefulness  on  earth,  but 
for  an  earlier  enjoyment  of  his  crown.     Thus  it  pleases  Him 
to  deal  with  us;   that,  while  our  natural  feelings  are  sharply 
exercised  for  a  season,  we  may  yet  see  such  demonstrations  of 
love  to  us,  and  of  the  comparative  insignificance  of  all  the 


1829—1833]  CORRESPONDENCE.  309 

help  and  comforts  of  the  creature,  that  we  may  rise  in  the 
realizing  life  of  faith,  and  get  a  little  higher  at  least  in  believing 
converse  with  our  unseen  Lord." 

Three  years  had  not  elapsed  ere  Mrs.  Hoare  herself 
was  summoned  to  the  same  blessed  rest,  and  Mr.  Pratt 
was  called  once  more  to  condole  with  her  bereaved 
husband : — 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND — 

"  I  have  just  been  apprised  of  the  solemn  event  which  we 
liad  anticipated.  I  cannot  but  rejoice  that  the  work  of  the 
gracious  Refiner  is  finished ;  and  that  the  spirit  of  your  pre- 
cious wife,  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  clothed  in 
the  righteousness  of  her  Lord,  and  adorned  with  the  graces  of 
the  Spirit,  has  taken  her  station  among  those  who  have  fallen 
asleep  in  Christ  before  her,  to  wait  the  glorious  hour  when  our 
Lord  will  bring  her  with  Him,  and  unite  her  to  that- body  of 
humiliation,  which  you  must  soon  put  out  of  your  sight,  but 
which  will  then  be  made  like  unto  His  glorious  body.  Oh ! 
I  do  hope  and  pray  that,  as  she  has  found  many  of  her  dear 
relations  and  friends  there,  redeemed  like  herself  by  sovereign 
grace  from  among  the  children  of  men,  she  may  be  followed 
thither  by  all  her  surviving  kindred.  Glad  and  thankful  am  I, 
my  dear  friend,  to  see  so  many  giving  good  promise  of  a  heart 
and  life  devoted  to  God  ;  and  I  trust  that  all  and  each  will 
find  a  sealing  and  confirming  power  resting  on  their  spirits 
from  the  testimony  borne  by  such  a  life  and  such  a  death.  If 
there  be  any  whose  hearts  are  not  yet  brought  to  a  decision  for 
God  and  heaven,  I  pray  God  that  the  example  of  one,  who 
had  at  her  command  all  that  the  world  can  give,  may  fix  their 
feet  firmly  in  the  path  of  wisdom.  She  surely  was  raised  up 
and  sustained,  as  a  subject  of  Divine  grace  and  mercy,  to  shew 
to  her  whole  extended  circle  the  wisdom  as  well  as  the  happi- 
ness of  a  simple  reception  of  the  Gospel  of  God  our  Saviour. 
Discerning  and   susceptible,  yet  stedfast  and  immoveable,  she 


310  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XVI. 

was  enabled,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  seek  acceptance  with  God 
through  the  alone  merits  of  the  Incarnate  Saviour,  and  the 
renewal  of  the  Divine  Image  in  her  soul  by  the  power  of  the 
regenerating  and  sanctifying  Spirit ;  and  in  this  course  she  has 
been  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith,  and  has  been 
borne  through  many  conflicts  and  trials,  brought  on  for  the 
more  perfectly  uniting  of  her  spirit  to  her  Living  Head,  and 
for  the  cleansing  and  keeping  open,  through  prayer,  the 
channels  of  communion  with  Him.  But  now  this  lower  stage 
of  her  being  is  passed  away.  She  has  entered  on  that  inter- 
mediate exaltation  which  will  prepare  her  disembodied  spirit 
for  the  full  felicity  which  awaits  the  redeemed,  when  the  cor- 
ruptible shall  put  on  incorruption,  and  the  mortal  immortality. 
I  know,  my  dear  friend,  that,  as  your  years  have  been  passed 
with  your  beloved  wife  in  all  the  interchange  and  mutual  sup- 
port of  endeared  Christian  faith  and  love,  many  places  and 
circumstances  will  bring  up  associations  in  your  mind,  which 
may  perhaps  for  the  moment  overwhelm  you.  Well !  be  it  so  ; 
give  way  to  your  tears.  You  are  the  disciple  of  one  who  wept 
at  the  grave  of  His  friend.  Nor  does  He  forget  in  heaven, 
what  He  felt  as  man  on  earth.  If  He  closes  in  death  the  eye 
which  ever  beamed  on  us  in  love,  and  shuts  that  mouth  which 
ever  opened  in  wisdom,  and  silences  the  tongue  in  which  dwelt 
ever  the  law  of  kindness,  let  us  seek  a  more  realizing  faith, 
which  shall  bring  us,  by  the  continued  power  of  the  Spirit,  into 
more  direct  and  habitual  communion  with  the  Father  and  with 
His  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  May  a  full  measure  of  gi'ace 
accompany  this  dispensation,  to  the  eternal  glory  of  our  gracious 
God,  in  the  present  consolation  and  everlasting  salvation  of 
vou  all !" 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

1835,  183G. 

MR.  PUATT  DECLINES    PREACHING    THE    ANNIVERSARY    CHURCH  MISSIONARY 

SERMON HIS    SERMON     AT     THE     CONSECRATION     OF     BISHOP    CORRIE 

IMPORTANCE  OP  PRESERVING  THE  PURITY  OP  TRUTH — PECULIARITIES 
OP  MISSIONS  CONNECTED  WITH  AN  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH — NEED  OF  A  REVI- 
SION     OF     ECCLESIASTICAL     RELATIONS  IMPORTANCE      OP     A     NATIVE 

MINISTRY — SCHOOLS — PROJIISING  SPHERE  OF  LABOUR    IN    THE    EASTERN 

EMPIRE DEATH  OF  BISHOP  CORRIE,  AND  OF  MR.  SIMEON — ADVICE  TO  HIS 

SONS  AT  COLLEGE — ISIPORTANCE  OF  RIGHT  MOTIVES  FOR  ENTERING  ON 
THE  MINISTRY  AND  PREPARATION  FOR  ITS  SACRED  DUTIES — SECOND 
VISIT  OF  BISHOP  CHASE  TO  ENGLAND — CHURCH  PASTORAL-AID  SOCIETY. 

After  Mr.  Pratt  resigned  the  Secretaryship  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  he  was  repeatedly  invited 
and  urged  by  the  Committee,  and  the  Secretaries  who 
succeeded  him,  to  preach  their  Anniversary  Sermon. 
But  he  could  never  be  prevailed  on  to  accept  the 
invitation.  It  has  been  well  observed  by  Bishop 
Wilson,  that  "  he  had  not  a  particle  of  what  we  under- 
stand by  assumption  and  forwardness."  Unobtrusive- 
ness  was  a  prominent  feature  in  his  character,  and 
in  the  opinion  of  his  friends  it  sometimes  verged  to 
excess.  It  restrained  him  from  the  useful  employment 
of  his  abilities  on  some  public  occasions,  like  that 
just  mentioned,  when  his  extensive  knowledge  on 
Missionary  subjects,  and  his  long  and  dearly-bought 
experience,  might  have  been  turned  to  much  practical 
account.  "  He  was  willing  to  work  underground  and 
let  others  stand  prominently  forward,  when  he  thought 
the  end  in  view  would  be  better  attained  :"  and  this 
he  almost  invariably  imagined  to  be  the  case. 


312  MR.  PRATT  DECLINES  PREACHING  AT        [Chap.  XVII. 

The  following  extracts  of  a  letter  from  his  rela- 
tive, Mr.  Jowett,  then  Secretary  of  the  Society,  who 
made  one  more  attempt  at  the  close  of  1832  to  per- 
suade him  to  meet  the  wishes  of  the  Committee,  will 
at  once  shew  on  what  grounds  the  appeal  was  made, 
and  how  strong  must  have  been  his  natural  repugnance 
to  undertaking  such  a  duty  : — 

"  I  do  not  feel  myself  deterred  by  die  short  conversation  of 
yesterday,  but  rather  the  more  constrained  to  submit  to  you  the 
importance  of  your  undertaking  to  preach  the  Sermon  at  our 
next  Anniversary. 

"  The  great  labour  of  preparing  what  would  satisfy  your  own 
mind  is,  indeed,  an  argument  of  much  weight  against  it.  We 
partly  know  how  many  engagements  press  upon  you  ;  and  we 
are  bound  to  believe,  that  there  are  many  more  unknown  to 
us :  and  we  are  concerned  also  to  be  obliged  to  take  into  the 
account  that  your  health,  which  is  so  precious  to  your  own 
family,  your  parish,  and  the  Church,  does  not  admit  of  your 
prosecuting  objects,  as  formerly,  with  uninterrupted  energy. 

"  But  now  permit  us  to  plead  on  the  other  side.  You  have 
an  accumulated  mass  of  knowledge  and  experience  in  Missio- 
nary matters,  perhaps  beyond  any  man  living.  God  gave  you 
these  riches  to  be  used.  You  cannot,  indeed,  if  you  decline 
our  request,  be  accused  of  hiding  your  talent  in  a  napkin  ; 
both  because  you  often  give  us  Missionary  counsels,  and  also 
in  the  'Register'  we  see  your  Missionary  mind.  But  an 
Anniversary  Sermon  is  a  document  which  draws  into  itself 
more  copious  and  well-digested  views,  and  attracts  far  more 
public  notice:    and  in  this  way  it  affords  an  opportunity  of 

doing  so  much  the  greater  good. 

♦  ♦•■»**« 

"  There  is  no  other  person  that  has  so  closely  observed, 
for  more  than  a  whole  generation,  the  great  revival  of 
these  days;    or  that   has  been    so  truly  ^^^r*    tnayna  of  this 


1832.]  THE  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  ANNIVERSARY.  313 

period.  God  cannot  have  ordained  this  for  nothing.  Has  He 
not  more  work  for  you  ?  ♦  *  *  «  If  time  and  study,  and 
prayer  and  watchfulness,  have  all  concurred  to  establish  your 
judgment,  then  may  we  not  ask  to  have  the  benefit  of  your 
opinion  given  under  circumstances  which  no  other  person  can 
command  ?  *  *  *  *  After  all,  that  much  mental  labour 
will  be  requisite  cannot  be  doubted.  I  earnestly  hope,  and  I 
pray  God  that  you  may,  in  this  respect,  be  strengthened  with 
all  might  by  His  Spirit  in  the  inner  man.  As  for  the  outer 
man  (I  mean  to  allude  to  that  diffident  and  fastidious  feeling, 
which  would  lead  you  to  shrink  from  a  work  of  great  importance, 
through  the  fear  of  not  satisfying  your  own  mature  mind,  and 
the  just  expectation  of  the  religious  public),  it  is  but  an  instinct, 
just  like  that  of  self-preservation,  or  any  other:  and  it  has  its 
sanctified  use,  in  keeping  us  from  rashness,  and  impelling  us 
to  do  things  with  the  utmost  (to  us)  practicable  perfection. 
But  if  allowed  to  go  further,  may  it  not  become  a  snare  ? 

"  You  have  seen,  first  the  day  of  small  things  ;  then  a  day 
of  surprising  success,  which  elated  many ;  then  the  chastise- 
ment of  the  Lord  our  God  (Deuteronomy  ii.  2) ;  now,  I  do 
believe,  a  day  of  humble  awe  and  believing  enlargement 
(Isaiah  Ix.  5).  Point  out  to  us,  I  pray  you,  guidance  and 
encouragements  for  a  little  longer.  JFrite  us  a  Christian 
Deuteronomy  (Ps.  Ixxi.  17,  18)." 

But  this  powerful  appeal  was  ineffectual. 

An  occasion,  however,  of  delivering  publicly  the 
results  of  his  information  and  experience  on  subjects 
connected  with  Missions  subsequently  presented  itself ; 
and  this,  from  personal  considerations,  he  felt  con- 
strained to  embrace. 

In  the  year  1835,  the  Presidency  of  Madras  and  the 
Island  of  Ceylon  were  separated  from  the  diocese  of 
Calcutta,  and  erected  into  a  distinct  See  ;    and   the 


314  SERMON  AT  THE  [Chap.  XVII. 

Archdeacon  of  Calcutta  was  appointed  to  preside  over 
this  new  diocese.  In  September  of  this  year  Mr. 
Pratt  writes : — 

"  It  gave  us  great  pleasure  to  receive  our  dear  friend  Corrie, 
and  to  see  him  in  such  health  and  spirits.  As  he  desired  nie 
to  preach  the  Consecration  Sermon,  I  could  not  decline  this, 
out  of  friendship.  It  seemed  my  duty,  on  this  occasion,  to 
state  some  results  of  my  long  observation  and  experience,  which 
I  have  accordingly  done. 

"  The  state  of  things  in  the  West  Indies  has  forced  on  our 
attention  some  of  the  questions  touched  on  in  the  Sermon ; 
and,  certainly,  it  is  a  point  of  vital  importance  to  Episcopal 
Missions,  how  best  to  adapt  Church  Discipline  to  the  fur- 
therance of  such  Missions." 

The  difficulties  here  alluded  to,  followed  upon  the 
Church  Missionary  Society's  extending  their  operations 
in  the  West  Indies  after  the  emancipation  of  the 
Slaves  on  the  1st  of  August,  1834  —  "  one  of  the 
most  memorable  days,"  he  writes,  "  in  the  records  of 
the  world."  A  question  arose  somewhat  analogous  to 
that,  which  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Society  in  the 
earlier  years  of  the  Episcopate  in  India.  The  oppor- 
tunity, therefore,  which  now  presented  itself  of  giving 
his  matured  views  upon  this  subject,  and  that  before 
the  highest  authority  in  the  Church,  was  most  impor- 
tant, and  not  to  be  lost. 

His  text  was  2  Tim.  ii.  1 — 4 :  "  Thou  therefore,  my 
son,  be  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
And  the  things  that  thou  hast  heard  of  me  among 
many  witnesses,  the  same  commit  thou  to  faithful 
men,  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also.     Thou 


1835.]  CONSECRATION  OF  BISHOP  CORRIE.  315 

therefore  endure  hardness,  as  a  good  soldier  of  Jesus 
Christ.  No  man  that  warreth  entangleth  himself  with 
the  affairs  of  this  life ;  that  he  may  please  him  who 
hath  chosen  him  to  be  a  soldier." 

He  commences  by  describing  the  character  of  that 
sacred  Truth  which  Timothy  had  heard,  and  which 
the  Apostle  here  directs  him  to  commit  to  faithful 
men ;  and  with  reference  to  the  errors  of  the  Trac- 
tarian  School,  which  was  then  rising,  he  urged  that 
this  Truth  should  be  preserved  in  untainted  purity 
from  the  traditions  of  men,  which  had  been  the  ruin 
alike  of  the  Jewish  and  the  Romish  Churches :  and  he 
completes  his  brief  introductory  exposition  of  the 
Apostle's  exhortation,  by  shewing  how  the  faithful 
pastor  must  be  ready  to  "  endure  hardness  as  a  good 
soldier  of  Jesus  Christ." 

He  next  adverts  to  the  solemnity  of  the  Consecra- 
tion;  and  observes  ^Miow  feelingly  and  forcibly"  the 
exhortation  bore  upon  the  present  occasion,  "  when 
his  friend  of  many,  many  years"  was  "  called  to  enter 
that  order  of  Christ's  Ministry,  to  which  is  entrusted 
the  sacred  charge  of  appointing  others  to  gather  His 
sheep  out  of  this  evil  world,  and  to  feed  the  flock 
which  He  hath  purchased  with  His  own  blood." 

After  taking  occasion  to  give  his  views  of  the 
Episcopal    Form    of  Church    Government*,    with    a 


*  The  following  extract  will  sufficiently  shew  what  these  views  were : — 

"  From  the  times,  and  according  to  tlie  practice,  of  the  Apostles,  we 

believe  not  only  that  this  CJovemment  prevailed  among  their  immediate 

successors,  hut  that  it  characterized  the  ^'isiblc  Church  for  fifteen  liun- 

dred  years  ;  and  it  is  important  to  remark,  on  the  present  occasion,  tliat 

the 


316  SERMON  AT  THE  [CiiAr.  XVII. 

degree  of  candour  and  moderation  worthy  of  imita- 
tion, he  proceeds  to  the  main  topic  of  his  valuable 
discourse  : — 

"  While  the  United  Church  of  these  reahns  seeks  to  take 
lier  share  in  propagating  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  the  world,  it 
is  a  suhject  for  serious  consideration  in  ichat  manner  that  inir- 
j>ose  may  he  best  accomplished.'' 

"  The  Christian  Church,"  he  adds,  "  is,  in  her  very  design 
and  constitution,  a  Missionary  Church.  He,  who  formed  her 
and  gave  her  a  commission  and  authority  to  act,  prescribed  no 


the  first  Protestant  Bishop  of  India,  after  extensive  observation  of  the 
character  and  circumstances  of  the  Natives,  expresses  his  conviction,  in 
speaking  of  Ceylon,  that  most  of  the  converts,  w^ith  the  exception  of  those 
of  the  Romish  Faith,  would  very  readily,  by  whatever  Protestant 
Teachers  they  had  been  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel,  range 
themselves  under  Episcopal  Authority ;  adding  a  general  principle  appli- 
cable to  the  whole  Eastern  ^^orld— '  No  Government,  which  has  not 
some  analogy  to  Monarchy,  is  suited  to  the  habits  and  the  tempers  of  the 
people  of  this  quarter  of  the  globe.' 

"  That  innovations  should  have  been  made  at  the  time  of  the  Reforma- 
tion in  the  Form  of  Government,  which  had  till  that  period  prevailed  in 
tlie  Church,  is  no  occasion  of  wonder  to  such  as  duly  consider  the  circum- 
stances of  that  day. 

"  The  corruptions  of  the  Romish  Priesthood,  and  the  secularity  and 
vices  of  the  Hierarchy,  had  prepared  the  way  for  the  Reformation.  The 
revival  of  Letters  had  oi)ened  the  minds  of  men;  and  had  thrown  such 
light  on  the  .state  of  the  Romish  Church,  that  multitudes  withdrew  them- 
selves from  its  authority.  ^VTiere  this  was  done  under  the  guidance  of 
men  wlio  separated  in  their  minds  the  system  of  Church  Government 
from  the  abuse  of  that  System,  and  were  countenanced  and  supported  in 
their  measures  by  the  secular  power,  the  Primitive  Government  was 
retained:  but  where  these  favourable  circumstances  were  wanting.  Re- 
formers, some  willingly,  and  others  of  constraint,  departed  more  or  less 
from  the  Primitive  Form:  the  Romish  Church,  indeed,  ever  true  to  her 
assumption  of  authority  over  the  whole  body  of  those  who  name  the  name 
of  Christ,  repudiates  all  from  the  Cliristian  Fold,  whatever  Form  of  Go- 
vernment 


1835]  CONSECRATION  OF  BISHOP  CORRIE.  317 

other  limits  to  lier  than  those  of  the  whole  world  of  mankind : 
'  All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in  heaven  and  in  earth  :  Go  ye, 
therefore,  and  teach  all  nations.'  As  she  should  entrench  herself 
in  one  community  of  men,  she  was  to  send  forth  her  messengers 
of  mercy  to  remoter  nations.  Jews  and  Gentiles,  Barbarians 
and  Scythians,  bond  and  free,  male  and  female,  were  to  be  the 
objects  of  her  love  and  zeal.  Wherever  she  settled  down  in 
ease,  and  contented  herself  with  the  conquests  which  she  had 
gained,  she  was  guilty  of  dereliction  of  duty  to  her  Lord  :  and 
her  sin  herein  led  to  her  punishment :  for  the  energy  which 
should  have  found  its  proper  employ  in  carrying  forward  the 
victories  of  the  Cross,  recoiled  on  those  who  neglected  to  give 


vernment  they  adopt,  who  do  not  bow  to  her  usurped  dominion ;  but 
Protestant  Churches  give  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  to  one  another,  as 
holding  the  Truth  necessary  to  Salvation,  though  they  do  not  agree 
wholly  in  matters  of  Discipline. 

"  That  the  Episcopal  Government  is  authorised  by  Scripture,  and  comes 
down  to  us  sanctioned  by  Apostolical  Practice  and  the  usage  of  Fifteen 
Hundred  years,  we  firmly  believe.  That  the  abuse  of  that  Form  of 
Government  furnishes  no  sufficient  argument  against  it,  we  strongly  con- 
tend ;  unless  it  could  be  shewn  that  it  has  a  greater  aptitude  and  tendency 
to  abuse  than  any  other,  the  contrary  of  which  we  believe.  Tliat  a 
Government,  lacking  the  advantages  of  the  Primitive  Form,  may  yet  be 
so  administered  as  to  have  greater  influence  on  a  people  than  ill-admini- 
stered Episcopacy,  cannot  be  denied;  and  it  must  be  remembered,  in 
estimating  the  comparative  influence  of  different  Forms  of  Government  in 
the  Church,  that  Communities  which  select  their  members  by  religious 
tests,  out  of  large  and  mixed  Communities,  have  special  advantages  in 
maintaining  within  themselves  peace  and  order.  But,  under  all  the 
authority  of  history  and  experience,  and  on  the  deepest  convictions  of  its 
efficiency  for  good,  we  do  earnestly  contend  for  that  Priniiti\e  Form 
under  which  we  have  the  happiness  to  live  as  Christians ;  and,  while  we 
desire  the  spiritual  good  of  all  who  love  Christ  in  sincerity,  we  must 
reo-ret  that  any  Christian  should  be  deprived  of  the  advantages  of  that 
Discipline  which  tends,  in  our  judgment,  when  duly  administered,  to  the 
highest  degree  of  Christian  Order  and  the  greatest  measure  of  Christian 
Edification." 


318  SERMON  AT  THE  [Chap.  XVII. 

it  its  right  direction,  and  spent  itself  in  dividing  and  weakening 
the  Church  by  endless  heresies  and  schisms." 

After  this,  he  proceeds  to  give  the  result  of  his  own 
matured  experience  of  the  working  of  Missions  among 
the  heathen;  and  adverts  specially  to  the  causes  of 
difficulty  which  Missionaries  have  met  with,  in  the 
exercise  of  their  office  in  the  communion  of  the 
Church  of  England. 

He  was  decidedly  of  opinion,  that,  during  the  tran- 
sition period  of  Missionary  operations,  intervening 
between  the  uninterrupted  reign  of  heathen  darkness 
and  the  happy  result  of  Missionary  labours  in  the 
settlement  of  Christian  districts,  wdth  their  parishes 
and  fixed  congregations,  it  is  better  that  the  work 
should  be  carried  on  through  the  instrumentality  of 
independent  Societies,  such  as  we  have  at  present. 

"  Yet,"  he  adds,  "  the  labours  of  Episcopal  Societies  among 
the  heathen  should  be  conducted  in  due  subordination  to  the 
Episcopal  Authority,  wherever  such  Authority  has  been  or  may 
be  established ;  while  the  responsibility  for  the  direction  and 
support  of  the  Missions  remains  with  the  respective  Societies, 
acting  through  their  accredited  representatives  abroad." 

He  afterwards  passes  on  to  notice  the  growing 
necessities  of  the  Church  in  India,  and  the  need  of  a 
corresponding  revision  of  our  ecclesiastical  relations 
with  that  country  : — 

"  All  the  prognostications  of  evil,  which  compelled  the 
founders  of  the  English  Episcopacy  in  India  to  consent  to  its 
being  limited  to  the  care  of  Europeans,  having  been  completely 
falsified,  and  in  the  interval  since  its  establishment  the  simul- 
taneous permission  for  Missionaries  to  proceed  thither  having 


1835.]  CONSECRATION  OF  BISHOP  CORRIE.  319 

been  acted  upon  on  a  large  scale,  and  including  many  belong- 
ing to  the  Church,  the  United  Church  appears  now  to  be  in 
circumstances  which  entitle  her  to  ask  for  such  extension  of 
the  powers  of  the  Episcopacy  in  India,  as  may  assign  to  it  a 
regulated  authority  over  all  the  labours  of  her  Clergy  in  the 
East." 

And  in  addition  to  this  intimation,  that  the  Chris- 
tian Rulers  of  India  should  be  called  upon  to  aid  in 
offering  facilities  to  their  heathen  subjects  of  acquiring 
a  knowledge  of  the  Truth,  he  shews  that  some  means 
should  be  devised  for  enabling  the  Church  to  bring 
her  ordinances  before  that  increasing  class  of  Euro- 
peans, whom  the  Company  do  not  recognize  as  their 
servants : — 

"  Such  enlarged  powers  are,  indeed,  become  necessary  in 
reference  to  both  the  great  classes  which  demand  her  care — 
the  British  and  the  Natives. 

"  The  change  of  our  relations  with  India,  which  has  taken 
place  since  the  establislmient  of  the  Episcopate,  lays,  of  itself, 
sufficient  ground  for  increased  means  of  applying  its  advantages 
to  our  own  countrymen.  The  easy  access  to  India  afforded 
by  the  New  Charter  [of  1833],  with  the  enterprising  spirit  of 
commerce,  will  multiply  very  greatly  the  number  of  English- 
men, who  will  need  the  aid  of  those  ordinances  in  which  they 
have  been  nurtured  at  home :  and  so  gi'eat  has  been  the  benefit 
conferred  by  these  means,  through  the  blessing  of  God,  on  our 
countrymen  heretofore  resident  in  India,  that,  if  there  were  no 
further  object  in  view  than  the  spiritual  good  of  those  who  are 
emigrating  in  increasing  numbers  to  the  East,  it  would  be  the 
duty  of  the  Church  to  provide  for  them  access  to  the  means  of 
grace." 

In  connection  with  the  right  government  and  disci- 
pline of  the  Church's  Missionary  Labours,  he  places. 


320  SERMON  AT  THE  [Chap.  X\  II. 

as  of  very  great  importance,  a  due  jrrovision  of  com- 
petent labourers  in  the  various  offices  of  Missionaries, 
Catechists,  and  Schoolmasters : — 

"  In  the  present  efforts  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,"  he 
observes,  "  there  is  no  reason  for  expecting  any  other  course 
to  be  opened  to  us  by  the  providence  of  God,  than  that  in 
which  He  was  pleased  to  lead  His  servants  in  the  first  conver- 
sion and  settling  of  the  Christian  nations.  Christianity  has 
nowhere  sprung  up  of  itself;  nor  will  it  ever  be  the  spontaneous 
product  of  any  soil.  Whoever  were  the  instruments  of  convey- 
ing the  Gospel  to  any  land,  it  has  nowhere  obtained  a  per- 
manent settlement  but  through  the  means  chiefly  of  native 
converts ;  who  possess  advantages  which  no  foreigner  can 
attain,  in  knowledge  of  the  language,  in  habits  of  living,  in 
familiarity  with  the  manners,  and  opinions,  and  feelings  of 
their  countrymen,  and  in  acquaintance  with  the  most  effective 
means  of  influencing  their  minds.  There  is,  consequently,  that 
self-sustaining  power  in  a  native  ministry,  M'hich  is  necessary 
to  the  permanent  and  extended  influence  of  the  Gospel  in  every 
country,  but  which  Foreign  Churches  cannot  supply.  In 
respect  both  of  an  adequate  number  of  labourers,  and  of  the 
means  of  supporting  them,  our  hope  must  be  steadily  fixed  on 
native  resources." 

He  dwells  with  much  satisfaction  on  the  benefits 
likely  to  flow,  in  this  respect,  from  the  large  establish- 
ment of  Schools  in  our  Missions ;  and  traces  the  hand 
of  God  in  the  manner  in  which  this  was  brought 
about. 

"  The  Missionaries  who  led  the  way  in  the  more  recent 
efforts  among  the  heatlien,  went  out  under  a  prevailing  feeling 
that  their  one  and  almost  exclusive  object  was,  to  preach  the 
Gospel.      The  education   of  heathen   children  seems  not  to 


1835.]  CONSECRATION  OF  BISHOP  CORRIE.  321 

have  entered  into  their  estimate  of  the  means  which  might 
be  profitably  employed.  But  the  apathy,  fickleness,  levity, 
superstition,  and  sensuality  of  the  adult  heathen,  so  discou- 
raged, in  many  instances,  the  hearts  of  the  labourers,  that 
they  felt  relief  only  in  the  hope  that  God  might  be  pleased  to 
bless  their  endeavours  among  the  children  of  those  heathens. 

"  So  little,  indeed,  had  this  course  of  labour  entered  into 
calculation,  that  doubts  arose,  in  some  quarters,  whether  the 
Societies  at  home  would  not  consider  such  occupation  of  the 
time  of  Missionaries  as  too  remote  and  contingent  in  its 
prospect  of  benefit,  to  justify  them  in  entering  thereon  ;  and 
the  Preacher  well  remembers  a  case  in  which  a  company  of 
Missionaries — in  utter  despair  of  accomplishing  any  good  work 
with  the  adults  around  them,  who  were  yet  willing,  from  the 
hope  of  secular  advantages,  to  entrust  to  them  their  children 
— pleaded  earnestly  with  the  Society  at  home,  that  they  might 
be  permitted  to  devote  their  time  to  such  children.  He  well 
remembers,  too,  the  reluctance  with  which  this  request  was 
gi'anted :  yet  the  wisdom  of  the  measure  now  commends  itself 
to  all  competent  judges;  and  has  so  engaged  the  zeal  of  dif- 
ferent bodies,  that  there  are  not  fewer,  according  to  recent 
Returns,  than  nearly  One  Hundred  and  Twenty  Thousand 
children  of  heathens,  or  of  those  who  were  but  lately  hea- 
thens, receiving  education  in  Protestant  Missions. 

"  Missionaries  were  thus  providentially  led  to  lay  the  foun- 
dations of  Christianity  among  the  heathen  deep  and  wide ; 
and  were  made  content  to  labour,  that  others  might  enter  into 
their  labours.  The  superstructure  began,  indeed,  to  rise  before 
their  own  eyes  ;  and  they  were  encouraged  to  hope,  that  it 
had  pleased  God  to  guide  them  in  a  way  which  they  had  not 
known,  to  the  adoption  of  a  System  better  adapted  than  any 
other  to  the  ultimate  establishment  of  the  Gospel  in  the  nations 
of  the  earth.  They  found,  as  might  be  expected,  wherever 
education  was  pursued  on  a  considerable  scale,  and  on  Chris- 
tian principles,  that  some  children  of  the  heathen  were  not 

Y 


322  SERMON  AT  THE  [CuAr.  XV 11. 

only  distinguished  from  the  rest  by  their  mental  powers,  but, 
in  not  a  few  instances,  by  the  influence  of  Divine  Grace  on 
their  hearts.  Classes  of  such  promising  children  were  formed  ; 
and  special  instruction  was  given  to  them,  with  the  view  of 
training  them  up  to  become  Schoolmasters,  Readers,  and 
Catechists  to  their  countrymen.  The  most  important  aid  has 
been  derived  from  these  Seminaries ;  and  encouragement  has 
been  given,  by  the  promising  character  and  effective  labours 
of  many  of  the  Seminarists,  to  found  Colleges,  with  the  design 
of  preparing  natives  of  this  description  to  act  as  Ministers 
and  Missionaries  among  the  heathen. 

"And  thus  has  a  System  been  brought  into  operation,  which 
needs  nothing  but  adequate  enlargement,  wise  superintend- 
ence, and  steady  perseverance,  with  that  blessing  which  God 
never  fails  to  bestow  on  the  patient  labours  of  His  Servants, 
to  provide  that  supply  of  Teachers  and  Ministers  from  native 
resources,  which  alone  will  be  adequate  to  establish  and 
maintain  the  full  influence  of  the  Gospel  in  any  heathen 
land." 

"  It  may  be  many  years,"  he  continues,  "  before  Eastern 
Converts  will  be  raised,  of  sufficient  intelligence  and  mental 
vigour,  to  be  wholly  left  to  themselves  as  Christian  Teachers : 
both  the  stimulating  and  corrective  influence  of  minds  matured 
under  the  advantages  enjoyed  in  the  Western  Churches  may 
be  long  needed;  but,  as  the  whole  tone  of  society  shall  be 
raised  by  the  powerful  action  of  Christianity,  the  more  intel- 
lectual classes  will  rise  in  proportion,  and  the  time  must  arrive 
when  the  Christian  Nations  of  the  East  shall,  like  those  of  the 
West  in  earlier  times,  be  enabled,  under  the  Divine  Blessing, 
to  maintain  Religion  in  vigour  among  them  by  the  services  of 
a  Native  Ministry." 

This  leads  him  to  enter  upon  the  subject  of  the 
qualifications  requisite  for  Missionary  labour  : — 

"It  has  been  a  mistake  ever  to  suppose  that  men  of  feeble 


1835.]  CONSECRATION  OF  BISHOP  CORRIE.  323 

minds  and  limited  intelligence  were  competent  to  the  work  of 
Missions,  provided  they  were  under  the  powerful  influence  of 
the  grace  of  God.  That  grace  applies  all  our  powers  with  the 
highest  effect  to  which  they  are  adequate,  but  it  does  not  supply 
the  place  of  those  powers :  and  though  it  has  pleased  God  to 
bless  the  simple  testimony  of  upright  and  devout  men  of  but 
feeble  minds,  yet  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  their  useful- 
ness would  have  been  greater,  and  its  fruits  more  abiding,  if, 
with  equal  piety,  they  had  known  how  to  open  and  apply  the 
Gospel  to  a  larger  portion  of  those  among  whom  they  laboured. 
There  is  no  natural  gift  nor  solid  attainment,  which  may  not 
be  rendered  subservient  to  the  great  end  which  the  devout 
Missionary  has  in  view. 

"  But  the  present  circumstances  of  Missions,  particularly  in 
the  East,  specially  demand  a  higher  order  of  Labourers  than 
may  suffice  for  the  direct  communication  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
heathen.  The  Teacher  of  teachers  is  called  for  from  every 
quarter.  The  Seminaries  and  Colleges  connected  with  Church 
Missions,  and  those  established  by  other  Communities,  are 
seeking  for  men  of  eminent  piety  and  distinguished  powers." 

He  here  mentions  several  encouraging  circum- 
stances, such  as  the  shaking  of  the  whole  System  of 
Idolatry  and  the  cultivation  of  European  Science 
among  the  Hindoos,  and  indications  springing  up  at 
home  of  increased  attention  to  the  Eastern  World. 
And  after  some  further  remarks  on  the  imperative 
duty  of  depending  wholly  for  success  on  the  promised 
supply  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  and  shewing  the  "  solemn 
responsibility  under  which  our  country  is  laid  by  the 
vast  dominion  given  to  us  in  the  East,"  he  gives  the 
following  favourable  view,  both  of  the  facilities  pre- 
senting themselves  in  the  work  and  of  the  progress 
already  made  in  the  removal  of  obstacles : — 

Y  2 


324  SERMON  AT  THE  [CiiAr.  XYII. 

"  Never,  till  this  our  day,  was  such  an  extended  sphere  of 
promising  labour  opened  among  the  heathen  of  our  Eastern 
Empire,  nor  such  facilities  tendered  to  those  who  labour  in 
that  sphere.  It  could  not  be  anticipated  when  the  English 
Episcopate  was  founded,  that,  in  the  coui'se  of  Twenty  Years, 
so  many  obstacles  should  be  removed — such  a  favourable  change 
effected  in  the  public  judgment  and  feelings— so  great  a  mea- 
sure of  actual  good  accomplished — and  such  provisions  made 
for  acting  on  a  system  adapted  to  the  state  of  the  East,  and  on 
a  scale  which  promises  to  be  ultimately  commensurate  with  the 
spiritual  wants  of  the  natives. 

"  Even  China,  where  a  third  of  the  human  race  have  been 
shut  up  in  gross  darkness,  begins  to  open  to  the  light  of  Divine 
Truth.  Recent  intercourse  with  its'  interior  has  shewn,  that 
the  body  of  the  people  are  both  able  and  eager  to  read  what 
may  be  offered  to  them ;  and  as,  in  the  good  Providence  of 
God,  the  Holy  Scriptures  have  been  prepared  for  them  in  their 
own  tongue,  and  the  acquisition  of  their  language  has  been 
greatly  facilitated,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  time  is  come, 
when  it  is  the  duty  of  Christians  to  seek  more  earnestly  every 
proper  opportunity  of  bringing  the  untold  millions  of  that 
benighted  empire  under  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Word. 

**  We  are  admonished,  indeed,  by  the  first  Bishop  of  Cal- 
cutta, and  by  each  of  his  successors,  and  by  every  other  diligent 
labourer,  tliat  though  the  vast  fields  around  them  are  white 
already  unto  harvest,  no  arm  of  man  is  there  found  sufficient 
to  gather  in  that  harvest.  Their  serious  and  constantly- 
renewed  entreaties  to  us  are,  ever  to  remember  the  injunction 
of  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  when  upon  earth,  and  to  be 
fervent  and  persevering  in  prayer  that  labourers  may  be  sent 
out  by  the  Lord  of  the  Harvest  into  the  field  of  the  world, 
and  that  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  may  accompany  their 
labours." 

He  adds,  in  conclusion  : — 


1835.]  CONSECRATION  OF  BISHOP  CORRIE.  323 

"  May  the  Solemnities  of  this  day  be  the  means  of  en- 
dearing to  our  own  souls  more  than  ever  the  Salvation  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus  !  May  they  abide  in  the  memory,  and  have 
a  perpetual  influence  on  the  hearts,  of  all  who  partake  therein! 
And  may  it  especially  please  Him,  who  now  sendeth  forth 
His  servant  to  that  sphere  of  toil  and  conflict  where  he  has 
already  spent  the  earlier  vigour  of  his  days,  to  spare  him  for 
many  years,  and  to  crown  his  labours  with  an  abundant  bless- 
ing !  And  when  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  ajjpear,  may  he 
receive  a  croivn  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  aivay  !  " 

The  Sermon  was  printed  and  published  "at  the 
command  of  His  Grace  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury," 
who  thus  testified  his  general  concurrence  in  the 
views  so  ably  and  distinctly  laid  before  him. 

The  hope  that  his  friend  would  be  spared  many 
years  in  his  new  sphere  of  duty,  was  not  realized.  He 
had  already  long  toiled  in  the  East,  in  the  service  of 
his  Master,  and  his  course  was  now  nearly  run  :  on 
the  5th  of  February,  1837,  after  a  short  illness,  he  was 
called  to  his  rest.  In  writing  to  the  Bishop  of  Cal- 
cutta, ]\Ir.  Pratt  thus  alludes  to  this  unlooked-for  and 
painful  event : — 

"Alas  !  for  our  beloved  Corrie  !  For  him  we  rejoice  ;  but 
for  that  large  portion  of  your  diocese  so  lately  assigned  to 
the  guidance  of  his  fatherly  hand,  we  mourn.  Yet  *  the  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  our  souls'  is  'the  same  yesterday,  and 
to-day,  and  for  ever  !'  We  do  thank  Him,  my  dear  friend,  on 
your  behalf.  He  has  indeed  preserved  you  beyond  our  hopes. 
The  appointment  of  a  right-minded  successor  to  our  departed 
friend,  lies  much  on  our  hearts." 

About  the  same  time,  another  eminent  servant  of 
God  among  INIr.  Pratt's  numerous  acquaintances,  and 


326  DEATH  OF  MR.  SIMEON.  [Chav.  XVII. 

one  who  had  been,  all  through  a  long  and  active  life, 
deeply  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  Church  in 
India,  was  likewise  called  hence.  The  day  before 
the  event  Mr.  Pratt  writes  to  his  younger  son,  then 
resident  at  Cambridge,  Nov.  12, 1836  :— 

"  We  have  heard  a  letter  from  Mr.  S which  leads  us  to 

suppose,  that  our  dear  Father  Simeon  is  in  his  Rest !  We 
should  be  glad  to  hear  what  particulars  you  may  know.  May 
his  mande  fall  on  your  head  and  the  heads  of  all  your  associates 
at  Cambridge!  No  man  more  highly  favoured  of  God  has 
departed  for  many  years.  1  have  known  him,  and  marked  his 
progress  and  his  labours,  for  about  fifty-three  years !  Being 
dead,  he  yet  speaketh  ;  and  will  long  speak,  I  doubt  not,  both 
by  his  writings  and  by  the  ministry  of  his  spiritual  children." 

It  was  in  a  great  measure  on  account  of  the  advan- 
tages afforded  by  the  example  and  instructions  of  this 
devoted   man,    that   Mr.   Pratt,   although    himself  a 
graduate    of  the   University    of   Oxford,  decided  on 
sending  both  his  sons  to  Cambridge.     The  summit  of 
his  earthly  happiness  was  to  see  his  family  growing 
up  around  him  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;  and  he  would 
say  of  them,  as  St.  John  wrote  to  his  well-beloved 
Gains  of  his  spiritual   sons,  /  have  no  greater  joy  than 
to  hear  that  my  children  walk  in  the  truth.     But  it  was 
an   especial  object  of  his  solicitude,   that  they  who 
had  devoted  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel 
should  be  thoroughly  furnished  for  their  high  calling. 
While  he  encouraged  them  to  every  proper  degree 
of  exertion  for  the  attainment  of  an  honourable  stand- 
ing in  the   College  and   University  Examinations,  it 
was  growth  in  heavenly  wisdom  which  he  most  desired : 


1835.]  ADVICE  ON  THE  COLLEGE  COURSE.  327 

and  he  constantly  guarded  them  against  the  dangers 
to  which  their  advancement  in  spiritual  things  would 
be  exposed. 

"  My  advice  to  you,"  he  writes  to  one  of  them  during  his 
first  year  at  College,  "  ever  will  be  what  my  daily  prayers  for 
you  are,  that  you  should  go  forward  with  all  prudent  diligence, 
aiming  to  serve  and  glorify  your  God  and  Saviour,  and  con- 
tented with  all  that  He  shall  appoint  for  you — humble  and 
thankful  if  you  succeed  in  your  College  course — submissive 
and  cheerful  if  (so  labouring  to  glorify  Him)  you  should  fail  in 
attaining  all  that  you  might  desire.  You  must  ever  remember, 
my  dear  John,  that  to  succeed  in  matters  which  are  the  objects 
of  the  ambition  of  numbers  around  you,  requires  a  large  measure 
of  grace,  that  you  may  maintain  a  due  regard  to  the  glory  of 
your  Heavenly  Master,  and  devote  all  to  Him.  If,  on  account 
of  health,  or  from  any  other  cause,  you  may  be  disappointed 
in  your  hopes  and  wishes  in  any  considerable  degree,  take  it 
as  a  dispensation  from  His  hand  for  your  real  benefit.  If  we 
ai-e  His,  and  He  designs  to  render  us  useful  to  the  spiritual 
and  eternal  interests  of  others  (and  I  trust  that  He  has  given 
you,  and  will  cherish  and  strengthen  in  you,  this  settled  desire), 
we  must  expect  to  be,  in  one  way  or  other,  painfully  disciplined. 
But  in  whatever  form  this  discipline  may  come,  and  at  whatever 
time,  '  cleave  unto  the  Lord  with  purpose  of  heart'  " 

His  views  on  the  subject  of  designing  a  son  for 
the  ministry  remained  unaltered  from  what  they  were 
at  a  much  earlier  period  of  his  life.  We  find  them 
recorded  between  thirty  and  forty  years  before  this,  in 
his  notes  at  the  Eclectic  Society.  It  is  "  so  important 
a  matter,  that  it  must  be  by  God's  own  leading.  I 
would  keep  it  out  of  sight  from  a  boy  :  [I  would]  not 
tell  him.— A  useful  Minister  is  of  God's  making,  not 


32S  ADVICE  TO  ONE  DESIKOUS  [Chap.  XVII. 

ours.  Our  duty  is  to  remove  all  obstacles,  and  use 
all  due  means.  I  would  follow  the  youth  with 
prayer :  would  lay  books  in  his  way :  introduce  him 
to  companions:  but  the  first  proposal  should  come 
from  him."  He  followed  this  method  himself.  He 
was  averse  to  taking  the  initiative  in  proposing  the 
ministry  as  a  profession,  as  he  thought  it  would  be 
"  taking  the  matter  too  much  out  of  God's  hands." 
He  thought,  also,  that  a  young  man,  except  in  special 
cases,  should  have  had  his  mind  drawn  to  the  subject 
early,  that  his  habit  of  thought  and  education  might 
be  directed  into  the  right  channel.  It  was  under  this 
impression  that  he  wrote  as  follows  to  a  young  friend, 
who  had  very  recently  completed  a  successful  career 
at  Oxford,  and  had  been  intended  for  the  bar.  He 
was  the  eldest  son  of  a  large  fomily,  who  had  recently 
been  left  orphans  by  the  death  of  their  fiither,  which 
had  also  left  him  heir  to  an  estate  in  one  of  the 
midland  counties  of  England : — 

"  When  I  think  of  the  state  of  our  country,  and  consider  the 
exclusive  power  of  the  Gospel  as  the  instrument  of  its  civil 
stability  and  peace,  and  of  the  everlasting  salvation  of  its 
people,  I  feel  ready  to  say  to  every  man  whose  character  and 
circumstances  promise  usefulness,  '  Do  the  work  of  an  Evan- 
gelist ! '  But  when  I  consider  how  important  pious,  educated, 
and  well-connected  Laymen  are  in  giving  countenance  and 
ediciency  to  ministerial  labours,  and  consider  that  not  a  few 
have  gone  into  the  ranks  of  the  ministry,  who,  in  my  judgment, 
might  have  done  God  more  service  out  of  those  ranks,  then  I 
feel  that  your  question  must  be  discussed  with  thoughtfuhiess 
and  with  an  enlarged  view  of  all  circumstances. 

"  If  you  have  had  this  matter  on  your  mind,  from  a  stronger 


1835— 183G.]  OF  ENTERING  THE  MINISTRY.  329 

impression  of  the  sin  and  danger  of  men — of  the  dishonour 
done  to  Christ  in  their  contempt  of  His  Gospel— of  the  vakie 
of  immortal  souls — of  the  vanity  of  the  world — of  the  impor- 
tance of  the  ministry  as  the  appointed  means  of  salvation ;  and 
have  deliberately,  after  much  prayer  and  self-inquiry,  come  to 
the  wish  and  desire  to  give  yourself  up  to  this  work,  from  love 
to  Christ  and  to  the  souls  of  men,  so  far  as  you  can  ascertain 
your  own  motives,  I  should  feel  very  reluctant  to  check  such  a 
desire.  But  even  supposing  this  to  be  the  state  of  your  mind, 
there  are  some  considerations,  which  it  seems  to  me  should  be 
taken  into  the  account  in  coming  to  a  determination  on  the 
matter." 

He  here  enters  into  matters  connected  with  the 
estate  which  his  friend  had  recently  inherited ;  and 
then  proceeds  : — 

"  What  I  have  said  goes  on  the  assumption  that  you  are 
quite  right  in  your  views  and  motives  ;  but  with  the  most  entire 
integrity  and  sincerity,  we  are  still  liable  to  be  acted  upon  by 
such  tides  and  under-currents,  that,  while  we  think  we  are  stiffly 
steering  the  head  direct  for  the  port,  we  are  falling  into  shoals 
and  quicksands.  You  may  probably  feel  some  distaste  for  the 
law ;  or  you  may  anticipate  difficulties  and  painful  things  in 
the  practice  of  it ;  or  you  may  look  at  our  profession  under  the 
aspect  chiefly  of  its  adventitious  advantages ;  or  you  may  have 
been  moved  to  emulation  by  witnessing  the  efficient  zeal  of 
some ;  or  you  may  think  that  the  ministry  cuts  off  many  tempta- 
tions, and  offiirs  many  advantages  for  the  benefit  of  personal 
religion.  These  feelings,  and  all  like  these,  have  (even  the 
last  mentioned)  so  much  of  personal  consideration  in  them, 
that,  of  themselves,  they  should  be  viewed,  as  it  seems  to  me, 
with  more  suspicion  than  deference.  All  difficulties  which  you 
may  anticipate,  supposing  you  to  follow  the  leadings  of  Provi- 
dence, you  may  expect  to  be  carried  through. 

"  I  have  thus  stated  what  occurs  to  me  on  the  diflerent  views 


330  A  SUITABLE  PREPARATION  [Chap.  XVIL 

of  this  question,  and  pray  our  Heavenly  Master  to  guide  you 
in  your  decision,  and  to  bless  you  all  through  life  and  make 
you  a  blessing  to  others." 

The  importance  of  a  careful  preparation  for  the 
solemn  duties  of  the  ministry,  he  always  aimed  at 
impressing  on  the  minds  of  those  among  his  acquain- 
tance who  were  candidates  for  that  sacred  office. 
And  he  was  rejoiced  to  see  the  increased  attention 
which  has  been  recently  paid  to  this  subject,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  establishment  of  Theological  Scholar- 
ships and  Examinations  in  the  University  of  Cambridge. 
He  often  lamented,  too,  that  there  was  in  most  cases 
so  brief  an  interval — after  the  absorbing  and  exhaust- 
ing studies  of  those,  especially,  who  read  for  honours 
— ^in  which  to  prepare  for  the  higher  duties  to  follow. 

"  Sermons  are  wanted,"  he  writes  to  one  of  his  sons,  with 
reference  to  the  engagements  on  which  he  was  entering,  "  and 
sermons  must  be  prepared ;  and  that  often  before  the  preacher 
knows  what  to  believe,  and  why  he  is  to  believe  it.  Your  reli- 
gious advantages,  indeed,  have,  under  the  the  grace  of  God, 
given  you  a  better  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  than  most 
young  men  enjoy ;  but  even  to  set  out  with  good  promise  of 
becoming  '  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly 
dividing  tlie  word  of  truth,'  requires  that  you  should  know 
somewhat  of  the  due  place  of  each  truth  in  the  Gospel  system, 
and  of  the  dependence  of  one  upon  another." 

As  a  preliminary  course  of  study,  he  points  out  the 
following,  to  one  whose  attention  was  much  absorbed 
in  active  College  pursuits : — 

"  The  knowledge  of  the  original  Scriptures  lies  at  the  root 
of  the  tree,  which  bears  nutritious  and  well-favoured  fruit :  you 
have  already  in  possession  the  means  of  studying  the  Greek 


1835— lS3fi.]      FOR  THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  MINISTRY.  331 

Scriptures,  but  with  tlie  Hebrew  you  have  yet  to  form  an 
acquaintance.  Place  yourself,  therefore,  under  Professor  Lee ; 
and  give  up  all  the  time  needful  to  lay  a  solid  foundation,  on 
which  you  may  hereafter  yourself  build." 

He  afterwards  adds  : — 

"  Commit  to  memory  the  Epistles  of  Timothy  and  Titus,  in 
both  the  original  and  the  translation.  Study  the  Articles, 
Liturgy,  and  Homilies,  with  a  view  to  your  taking  on  yourself 
the  office  of  administering  under  them,  with  an  enlightened 
assent  and  consent.  Above  all,  study  the  Word,  with  earnest 
prayer  for  the  teaching  and  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you 
may  become  'a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed, 
rightly  dividing  the  Word  of  Truth.' 

"  As  the  time  draws  near  when  you  may  offer  yourself  for 
Ordination,  your  studies  sould  be  directed  more  immediately  to 
that  object :  Burnett's  *  Pastoral  Care,'  and  Baxter's  '  Reformed 
Pastor,'  with  the  parts  of  Cecil's  '  Remains  '  which  relate  to  the 
ministry,  may  be  read  with  advantage." 

And  in  a  subsequent  letter  he  adds : — 

"  I  advise,  for  the  next  six  months,  much  attention  to  Hebrew 
and  Greek,  with  reference  to  the  Scriptures.  Read  a  portion 
of  the  Old  Testament  in  Hebrew,  and  in  the  Septuagint,  and  a 
portion  of  the  New  in  Greek,  daily.  By  the  help  of  Commen- 
tators, and  with  thought  and  prayer,  and  under  the  gracious 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  endeavour  to  get  a  fixed  know- 
ledge every  day  of  a  portion  of  the  Scriptures,  and  in  due 
order ;  so  that,  when  called  on  to  give  the  sense  of  that  portion, 
in  the  pulpit,  or  in  the  family,  or  in  free  conversation,  you  shall 
have  a  competent  understanding  of  it.  It  will  be  a  work  of 
years,  indeed,  to  attain  such  knowledge ;  but  it  will  be  well  to 
place  it  before  your  eyes,  as  an  object  to  be  kept  ever  in  view, 
and  toward  which  some  progress  should  be  daily  made. 

"  Connected  witli  this,  get  a  book  for  Common  Places  of 


332  A  SUITABLE  PREPARATION  [Chap.  XVII. 

Divinity;  and,  under  the  main  heads  of  Faith,  Repentance, 
Justification,  &c.,  enter  your  own  views,  distinctly  expressed ; 
and,  as  you  read  the  best  authors,  make  quotations  of  pithy, 
weighty,  and  sound  sentiment :  so  that  you  may  have  always  at 
hand  your  own  digested  view  of  each  subject.  Enter  under 
each  head  the  clearest  definitions,  such  as  those  of  the  Assem- 
bly's Catechism,  Usher's  '  Body  of  Divinity,'  &c.  The  sub- 
tleties of  error  are  so  refined  and  numerous,  that  you  will  often 
find  the  benefit  of  Common  Places,  thus  collected  by  yourself, 
in  helping  you  to  brush  away  the  cobwebs  which  the  spiders 
of  the  Church  spin  round  the  simple  truths  of  the  Gospel." 

Respecting  the  choice  of  practical  commentators  on 
the  whole  of  Scripture,  he  gives  the  following  advice: — 

"  Keep  close  to  Scott  and  Henry :  he  who  makes  himself 
master  of  their  explanations  and  improvements  of  Scripture, 
and  imbibes  the  spirit  which  was  largely  poured  on  those  holy 
men,  will  be  a  scribe  well  instructed  to  all  purposes  of  edifica- 
tion, both  in  and  out  of  the  pulpit.  From  many  other  quarters 
he  may  obtain  more  accurate  or  more  enlarged  views  of  parti- 
cular passages,  and  much  striking  illustration  of  various  pas- 
sages ;  but  these  holy  men  should  be  his  standard-bearers. 
They  speak  '  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord,'  and  the  sound  senti- 
ments of  the  Spiritual  Church  from  the  beginning,  free  from 
the  taint  of  those  numberless  'isms'  which  weak  or  wilful 
individuals  have  sought  to  gather  from  the  Word,  or  to  father 
ui)on  it.  There  is  something  delightful  in  being  so  'a  man  of 
One  Book'  as  to  make  it  our  set  purpose,  in  all  that  we  read  or 
observe,  to  gather  illustrations  of  the  Holy  Word.  To  be  off- 
hand a  judicious  expounder  and  applier  of  the  sense  of  a  passage 
of  Scripture,  is  a  far  higher  attainment  than  the  composing  of 
a  good  sermon,  and  perhaps  the  highest  in  the  discharge  of  the 
ministerial  oflfice ; — brief,  yet  no  part  left  without  suflUcient 
exjjlanation — illustrations  lively  and  apt,  yet  solid  and  grave — 
application  naturally  growing   out  of  tiie  passage,  and  wisely 


^S3o— 1830.]        FOR  THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  MINISTRY.  333 

and  affectionately  brought  to  bear  on  the  hearers.  It  would 
be  an  excellent  exercise  to  prepare  passages  of  ten,  fifteen,  or 
twenty  verses,  in  which  unity  of  design  may  be  connected  with 
variety  of  parts  and  illustration,  and  which  may  be  opened  and 
applied  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Study  one  of  these  papers 
befoi-e  you  go  into  company,  where  you  will  be  called  on  to  act 
as  a  minister.  If  they  are  terse  and  close,  as  I  propose  that 
they  should  be,  a  little  expansion  and  enlargement  will  make 
them  sermons." 

Three  years  after  the  date  of  the  first  of  these  letters 
of  advice,  the  following  was  written,  and  is  valuable  as 
setting  forth  the  simple  motive  and  principles  which 
should  actuate  every  one,  who  desires  to  enter  on  his 
calling  in  the  right  spirit : — 

"  As  you  will,  in  all  probability,  enter  soon  into  the  Ministry, 
and  ask  for  my  counsel  on  the  solemn  occasion,  I  will  take  this 
opportunity  of  saying  what  at  present  occurs  to  me,  as  the  result 
of  my  own  experience  and  observation. 

"In  the  first  place,  seek  for  grace  that  you  may  well  settle 
it  in  your  heart,  that,  in  the  one  grand  future  business  of  your 
life — the  winning  of  souls — you  are  absolutely  and  unreservedly 
the  servant  of  Him  who  died  to  save  the  souls  of  men.  You 
are  to  go  whither  He  would  send  you :  you  are  to  stay  where 
He  would  have  you  stay :  you  are  to  move  when  He  would 
have  you  move  :  you  are  to  use  the  means  which  He  has 
appointed,  and  no  other :  you  are  to  aim  at  His  glory  alone, 
and  in  all  things :  you  are  to  live  on  the  supply  of  His  Spirit, 
in  the  diligent  use  of  means  ;  and  you  are  to  look  for  success 
wholly  from  Him.  And  thus  whatever  you  do  in  word  or  deed, 
all  will  be  done  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  the 
glory  of  God  by  Him. 

"  But  how  are  you  to  know  His  will  ?  Settle  it  here  in 
your  heart,  that  the  \^'^ord,  rightly  understood  and  rightly 
applied,  is  to  be  your  perpetual  guide.     This  is  the  voice  of 


334  A  SUITABLE  PREPARATION  [Ciur.  XVII. 

your  Master  to  you.     It  is  in  all  cases  audible  and  intelligible. 
The  difficulty  is,  so  to  break  through  our  ignorance  and  self- 
love,  as  to  understand  it  rightly,  and  apply  it  rightly.     Where 
it  is   so  understood  and  applied,  I  repeat  it,  that  it  is  always 
audible  and  intelligible.     It  either  tells  us  what  step  next  to 
take,  or  it  tells  us  to  wait  for  more  light  on  our  path.     Num- 
bers of  sincere  and  pious  men  err  here.     Many  do  not  under- 
stand the  Scriptures ;    and  many  who  may  comprehend  the 
literal  meaning  of  passages  misapply  them.     It  is  a  hard,  very 
hard  point  to  be  attained,  to  escape  ignorance  and  prejudice  in 
interpreting  and  using  the  Word.      Pray  humbly,  earnestly, 
perseveringly ;  ask  for,  and  depend  on,  the  gracious  help  and 
teaching  of  the  Spirit ;  but  beware  of  thinking,  that  then  you 
are  qualified  to  enter  into  the  sense  and  right  use  of  Scripture  ; 
beware  of  that  gx'oundless  notion,  that  God  will  not  leave  a  man 
to  err  who  has  prayed,  as  he  thinks,  sincerely.    If  that  were  so, 
truly  good  and  sincere  men  could  not,  as  they  continually  do, 
come  to  opposite  conclusions.     The  very  errors,  indeed,  of  a 
sincere  man,  while  they  will  be  forgiven,  will  be  overruled  for 
his  good :  but  when  the  question  is,  how  to  escape  error  in  inter- 
preting and  using  the  Scriptures,  it  is  obvious  that  something 
more  than  prayer  is  required  of  us.     We  must  diligently  study 
the  Scriptures  ;  we  must  compare  spiritual  things  with  spiritual ; 
we  must  search  out  the  primary  meaning  of  every  passage;  we 
must  consider  whether  it  has  any,  and  what  bearing,  upon  our- 
selves; we  must  make  much  of  the  mind  and  judgment  of  the 
spiritual  Church  in  all  ages,  as  to  the  great  and  fundamental 
truths  of  Scripture ;  we  must  suspect  all  new  views  and  schemes 
which  run  counter  to  this  mind  of  the  spiritual  Church;  while 
we  must  ffive  all  due  wci'dit  to  the  course  of  Providence  in 
opening  to  us  the  meaning  and  application  of  the  Word. 

"  These  are  the  main  principles  of  the  Minister's  consecration 
and  dedication  of  himself  to  Christ,  in  obeying  all  His  holy 
will,  as  he  shall  be  enabled  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  in  the  diligent 
use  of  means,  to  understand  that  will. 


1S35— 1836.]      FOR  THE  DUTIES  OF  THE  MINISTRY.  335 

"  But  how  is  he  to  discharge  that  Ministry  which  he  receives 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  To  make  Him  known,  and  all  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Covenant  in  Him,  and  to  win  men  to  embrace  that 
Covenant— this  is  the  work  of  the  Ambassador  of  Christ.  His 
whole  Ministry,  then,  must  tend  to  convince  men  of  sin,  and  to 
lead  them  to  Christ  and  build  them  up  in  Him. 

"  On  a  Course  of  Theological  Reading  I  can  hereafter  talk 
with  you.  As  to  what  I  may  call  the  technicalities  of  the 
office,  your  manner  of  composing  and  delivering  sermons,  &c., 
I  can  also  talk  with  you.  The  Pastoral  duties,  likewise— your 
visiting  and  personal  intercourse  with  the  people—may  be  con- 
sidered hereafter.  I  have  now  touched  a  little  on  main  prin- 
ciples. And  may  that  blessed  Saviour,  who  has  called  so  many 
of  your  family  into  His  immediate  service  as  Priests  and 
Levites  to  His  Church,  endow  you  with  His  choicest  gifts  and 
His  abundant  grace !" 

In  the  spring  of  1835  Mr.  Pratt  took  occasion,  from 
bis  son's  appointment  to  the  Tuesday  evening  Lecture- 
ship at  St.  Lawrence's,  to  resign  that  for  the  Wednes- 
day evening,  which  he  had  held  since  1804.  This 
weekly  demand  on  his  strength  had  been  long  felt  to 
be  too  much  for  his  advancing  years ;  and  though  he 
retired  regretting  and  regretted,  he  felt  providentially 
(-ailed  to  take  this  step  for  his  own  relief. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  same  year  he  had  the 
pleasure  of  renewing  intercourse  with  his  old  friend, 
Bishop  Chase,  who  in  the  autumn  arrived  in  England 
a  second  time,  as  Bishop  of  Dlinois,  a  newly-formed 
diocese  considerably  west  of  Ohio,  from  which  it  was 
separated  by  the  intervening  State  of  Indiana.  The 
particular  ground  of  his  present  Appeal  was,  that 
a  vast  tide  of  population  was  continually  pouring 
westward  into  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  for  whom 


336  THE  CHURCH  PASTORAL-AID  SOCIETY.      [Chap.  XVII. 

there  was  no  spiritual  provision  ;  and  that  in  one 
year  alone  100,000  persons  had  settled  in  the  State  of 
Illinois,  the  chief  part  of  whom  were  from  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland.  He  proposed  to  form  a  Theolo- 
gical Seminary,  from  whence  a  native  clergy  might 
go  forth  to  minister  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  that  vast 
population.  Mr.  Pratt  was  unable  from  infirmity  to 
render  him  the  same  degree  of  active  support  as  on 
the  former  occasion :  but  the  Bishop  returned  to 
America  with  about  2000/. ;  and  ultimately  succeeded 
in  accomplishing  the  object  of  his  wishes. 

Mr.  Pratt  had  a  considerable  share  in  the  formation, 
about  the  same  time,  of  the  Church  Pastoral-Aid 
Society.  He  had  learnt,  from  experience,  the  indis- 
pensable necessity  of  some  better  provision  to  meet  the 
pressing  wants  of  our  dense  masses  of  baptized  Hea- 
thenism at  home  ;  and  his  Missionary  soul  sympathized 
cordially  with  some  of  the  London  clergy  and  laity, 
who  met,  under  the  encouragement  of  their  Diocesan, 
to  form  a  Society  for  this  object  early  in  the  year 
1836,  under  the  above  title.  He  became  a  subscriber 
to  its  funds,  and  took  a  most  lively  interest  in  its 
early  struggles  and  its  growing  prosperity. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

1838—1844. 

"the    christian  year" — ERRORS    OF    THE    TRAOTARIAN    SCHOOL EXPO- 
SURES OP  THE.ir MR.  PRATT  PREACHES  ON  THE  SUBJECT  AT  ST.  PAUIj's  — 

POLITICAL  CIIANGKS,  WITH  THEIR  RESULTS — ALLEVIATING  AND  ENCOU- 
RAGING   CIRCUMSTANCES  —  TRACTARIANIS.M     MORE    DEVELOPED,     AND 

WORKS  WRITTEN  IN  ANSWER  TO  IT KRISHNAGHUR THE  EVANGELICAL 

ALLIANCE — SECESSION  FROM  THE  SCOTCH  CHURCH THE  CHURCH  MIS- 
SIONARY SOCIETY  CONTINUES  STEDFAST  TO  ITS  PRINCIPLES — THE  ARCH- 
BISHOP OP  CANTERBURY  AND  THE  BISHOP  OF  LONDON  .JOIN  THE 
SOCIETY. 

The  decided  and  uncompromising  view  which  Mr. 
Pratt  took  of  the  errors  of  the  Tractarian  School,  and 
the  readiness  with  which  his  discerning  mind  detected 
the  real  evils  of  their  system  from  its  commencement, 
have  been  already  noticed.  He  had  already,  indeed, 
for  several  years  before  its  appearance,  been  in  the 
habit  of  cautioning  his  friends  against  what  he  consi- 
dered to  be  the  insidious  poison  of  one  very  popular 
volume.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  beauty  of  its  poetry, 
and  the  sacredness  of  its  subjects,  "  The  Christian 
Year"  could  never  have  won  so  many  ardent  admirers 
among  those  who  now  entirely  disapprove  of  the 
school  whence  it  emanated.  Beneath  its  attractive 
and  fascinating  dress,  he  detected  a  spirit  of  formalism 
and  unsound  doctrine  :  and  he  well  knew  that  all  this, 
if  allowed  to  get  possession  of  the  mind,  must  lead 
to  a  grievous  perversion  of  the  Gospel.    Little,  however, 


33S  ERRORS  OF  THE  [Chap.  XVIII. 

did  he  suspect  at  that  early  period,*  what  a  "  deep 
conspiracy  against  the  truth"  was  before  long  to  rise 
up  from  this  very  quarter.  The  author  of  this  work 
was  one  of  a  small  band,  who,  in  the  summer  of 
1833 — as  we  are  informed  eight  years  later  by  one  of 
their  number t — formed  themselves  into  a  Society  for 
the  express  purpose  of  laying  down,  and  inculcating 
in  every  way  in  their  power,  those  pernicious  and 
dangerous  errors,  which  are  now  well  known  as  the 
fundamental  tenets  of  the  Tractarian  School.  During 
these  last  years  of  Mr.  Pratt's  life, he  scarcely  ever  wrote 
a  letter  without  adverting  to  the  progress  of  this  new 
system.  Thus,  in  writing  to  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta 
in  September,  1838,  after  making  some  remarks  upon 
the  character  of  a  friend,  he  says  : — 

"  He  has  none  of  the  Popish  fripperies  and  solemn  nonsense, 
which  have  burst  upon  us  from  tlie  fanatics  of  Oriel  College  and 
Christ  Church.  Ah  !  that  opens  an  alarming  subject.  *  There 
must  he  heresies  among  you,  that  they  lohich  are  aj)proved  may 
be  made  manifest  among  you.''  That  process  is  going  on  among 
us ;  and  the  disclosures  are  painful  indeed.  Numbers  of  the 
students  and  younger  Clergy  are  becoming  formalists  and 
devotees ;  and  the  leaven  is  working  to  an  extent  among  those 
vv'ho  are  older,  which  discovers  the  lean  and  withered  condition 
of  the  Church  in  quarters  where  a  better  state  was  presumed. 
God  is,  however,  raising  up  defenders  of  His  truth ;  and  in 
the  end  the  truth  will,  no  doubt,  shine  forth  with  increased 
lustre ;  but  in  the  meanwhile  many  blossoms  fall  off,  and 
much   promising  fruit   is   nipped   and  stunted.     What  youth, 


*  "  The  Christian  Year"  was  pubh'shed  in  1827. 
t  See  Rev.  G.  S.  Faber's  "  Provincial  Letters." 


1838.]  TRACTARIAN  SCHOOL.  339 

hardly  conversant  with  any  theology  beyond  the  first  elements, 
and  little  awakened  to  his  need  of  mercy  and  grace,  can  bear 
to  be  sent  forth  with  the  assurance  that,  by  virtue  of  his  external 
call,  he,  and  he  only,  in  conjunction  with  such  as  have  had  the 
like  call,  can  '  create  and  minister  to  the  people  the  true  body 
and  blood  of  Christ  ?'  He  cannot,  without  a  miracle  of  grace, 
escape  the  snares  of  the  devil.  This  school,  which  seems  to 
me  to  have  had  its  birth  in  the  spirit  which  was  kindled  some 
years  since  and  breathed  forth  in  Keble's  mystified  poetry,  is 
now  attempting  to  undermine  and  pervert  every  distinguishing 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel.  The  deep  conspiracy  formed  against 
the  truth,  has  been  so  audaciously  disclosed  in  a  late  work 
(Froude's  '  Remains'),  that  it  cannot  well  be  that  the  voice  of 
Authority  should  be  still  silent  in  the  Church,  on  an  evil 
which  threatens  her  ruin  far  more  than  any  assault  on  her 
endowments. 

"  But  all  ecclesiastical  history  teems  with  this  mischief. 
God  will  humble  the  sinner  and  exalt  His  own  glory.  Most 
men  refuse  all  submission.  If  led  by  any  thing  short  of  con- 
verting grace  to  profess  to  seek  God,  the  heart  is  still  withheld 
from  Him;  and  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  any  religion 
which  is  not,  under  some  of  a  thousand  guises,  all  to  be 
resolved  into  self." 

A  few  days  later  he  writes  again  : — 

««♦««*♦ 

"  The  will  of  God  is  working  its  mighty  way  on  the  earth, 
and  we  are  all,  consciously  or  unconsciously,  taking  our  places 
in  the  fulfilment  of  that  will.  Oh,  to  be  right  with  God,  how 
great  the  mercy !  If  wrong.  He  will  still  use  us,  but  we  *  lose 
our  reward.'  Many  are  wrong  here  [in  England],  and  their 
number  fearfully  increases.  Not,  I  suppose,  that  error  prevails 
much  against  those  who  had  an  intelligent  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  but  it  runs  with  wildfire  rapidity  among  the  superficial, 
the  ignorant,  the  ceremonious,  the  self-righteous ;  and  makes 
sad  disclosures  of  our  weakness  to  those  who  have  ill-will  at 

z  2 


340  TRACTARIAN  ERRORS.  [Cuap.  XVIII. 

our  Zion.  So  it  must  be,  at  present  at  least.  ♦  *  *  *  Dr. 
Pusey,  and  his  chief  associates,  are  the  very  men  most  likely 
to  effect  the  mischief  which  we  deprecate,  by  their  power  of 
* darkeiiing  counsel  by  words  toithout  knowledge'  But  they 
sliall  proceed  no  further  than  our  Heavenly  Master  will  per- 
mit, to  His  own  glory.  While,  however,  this  shameless  system 
directly  tends  to  rob  Him  of  His  glory  (see  the  Editor  of 
Froude's  'Remains'  in  the  wretched  apology  which  he  makes 
for  Froude's  never  once  naming  in  a  series  of  papers  the 
blessed  Saviour),  it  is  highly  incumbent  on  the  chief  shepherds 
of  the  flock  boldly  to  denounce  the  stealthy  approaches  of  the 
wolf  against  the  fold,  and  to  cast  out  the  diseased  sheep. 

"  We  are  looking  for  this  with  anxiety  ;  and  cannot  but  feel, 
with  some  fear,  that  the  flatteries  of  the  Episcopal  and  Clerical 
Orders,  with  which  the  system  abounds,  are  deadening  those 
senses  which  ought  to  be  quick  in  discerning  good  and  evil. 

"  May  God  shew  to  them  that  be  in  error  the  light  of  His 
truth,  to  the  intent  that  they  may  return  into  the  way  of  righte- 
ousness !" 

In  writing  to  his  younger  son,  who  had  recently  left 
England  for  India,  he  enters  more  into  particulars 
upon  the  doctrinal  errors,  and  detects  some  of  the 
subtleties  of  the  system  : — 

"  You  know  my  views  of  the  great  and  interminable  subjects 
of  grace  and  free-will,  of  God's  sovereignty,  and  man's  account- 
ableness.  Shut  up  these  awful  points  where  Scripture  has 
shut  them  up,  but  speak  on  them  all  as  the  Scripture  speaks. 
Were  the  questions  now  awakened  limited  to  the  discipline  of 
the  Church,  they  might  be  left  to  their  own  level ;  but  they 
affect  the  vitals.  The  tendency,  and  I  think  the  design  of  this 
agitation  is  to  form  another  way  of  salvation,  beguiling  unstable 
souls  by  the  use  of  the  old  terras,  but  meaning  by  those  terms 
quite  different  things ;  while  they  rob  the  Lord  Jesus  of  the 
glory  of  the  sinner's  justification,  and  the  blessed  Spirit  of  the 


1838.]  EXPOSURES  OF  THEM.  341 

glory  of  his  sanctification,  and  connect  these  with  the  outward 
acts  of  sacramental  observance.  Here  is  the  wiliness  of  the 
Serpent !  Here  are  the  depths  and  devices  of  Satan  !  Here 
is  the  pretended  '  angel  of  light !'  Oh,  let  us  consider  well 
how  much  and  plainly  our  Lord  Himself,  and  His  Holy 
Apostles,  especially  St.  Paul,  speak  of  the  devil's  working  on 
men  by  error.  We  shall  dread  and  hate  error  more  than  we 
do,  and  be  more  keen  than  we  are  in  detecting  it  in  its  even 
distant  approaches,  when  we  rightly  estimate  its  power  as  an 
instrument  of  evil.  Salvation  by  grace  through  faith, 
as  understood  from  the  Scriptures  by  our  Church,  is  the 
TRUTH  AS  IT  IS  IN  JESUS.  Almost  the  only  value  of  tradition 
is,  that  it  testifies  this  truth  in  its  saving  power  to  have  been 
the  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the  wise  and  good  of  every 
age  of  the  Church.  On  this,  in  all  its  bearings  and  influence, 
let  us  expatiate  M'ith  our  brethren  of  every  name,  and  in  this 
let  us  rejoice  together ;  and  for  this  let  us  contend  earnestly." 

This  outburst  of  error  was  so  little  anticipated  by 
the  members  of  the  Church  in  general,  that  some 
delay  ensued  before  any  counter  publications  issued 
from  the  press.  Time  was  required  for  a  careful 
examination  of  a  system  which  appeared  to  be  so 
complete  in  its  parts,  and  came  recommended,  more- 
over, by  the  authority  of  learning,  and  of  names 
hitherto  held  in  esteem.  Pamphlets  and  Reviews, 
after  a  w^hile,  took  up  the  subject ;  but  one  of  the  first 
and  ablest  which  took  the  field  against  the  new  theo- 
logians was  the  Periodical,  with  the  origination  and 
early  editorship  of  which  Mr.  Pratt  himself  (as  we 
have  seen*)  had  so  much  connection,  the  "Christian 


*  See  Chap.  I.  p.  11. 


312  TRACTARIAN  ERRORS.  [Chap.  XVIII. 

Observer."  The  volumes  of  that  publication  from 
1837  and  onwards  contain  the  most  masterly  exposures 
of  the  writings  and  proceedings  of  the  Tractarians. 
Hence  he  speaks  of  himself,  writing  to  his  son,  as 

"  Confirmed  in  the  feeling,  which  has  been  awakened  long 
and  from  many  quarters,  that  we  are  now  in  a  most  impor- 
tant crisis  of  the  world.  It  is  quite  impossible  that  we,  agents 
and  patients  ourselves  in  this  great  turmoil,  should  be  able 
to  appreciate  the  full  value  of  our  own  doings  or  sufferings 
in  relation  to  things  around  us  or  things  which  are  to  come ; 
but  if  ever  the  duty  of  continued  action,  directed  to  the  sole 
glory  of  God,  according  to  Scripture  truth  and  heavenly  wisdom, 
with  simple  faith  and  fervent  prayer— if  ever  this  duty  were 
loudly  sounded  in  our  ears,  it  is  now." 

Another  of  the  earliest  defenders  of  the  truth  in 
opposition  to  these  errors,  was  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta. 
In  his  Charge  of  1838,  he  entered  into  an  examination 
of  Mr.  Keble's  monstrous  position,  that  Tradition  is  a 
joint  and  co-ordinate  Rule  of  Faith  with  Holy  Scrip- 
ture. 

"Accept  my  thanks,"  writes  Mr.  Pratt,  "for  your  late 
Charge.  Your  highly  seasonable  and  effective  rebuke  of  the 
more  than  semi-popish  errors  of  the  Oxford  schismatics  God 
will  bless,  in  His  mercy,  I  trust,  to  the  staying  of  the  progress 
of  that  plague." 

And  again,  a  few  months  later  : — 

"You  will  see  my  cordial  acquiescence  in  your  views  of 
Tradition,  by  the  insertion  of  them  in  the  July  *  Missionary 
Register.'  We  are  much  indebted  to  you  for  them.  You  are 
thus  helping  us  at  home,  while  you  are  standing  at  the  front  of 
the  battle  in  India." 


1838.]  MR.  PRATT  PREACHES  AT  ST.  PAUL'S.  343 

Nor  did  he  lose  any  opportunity  liimself  of  entering 
his  solemn  protest  in  public  against  these  innovations. 

"  To-morrow  fortnight,"  he  writes  to  his  son,  Sept.  28,  1839, 
*'  I  am  appointed  by  the  Bishop  of  London  to  preach  at  St. 
Paul's.  I  intend,  as  our  Lord  shall  be  pleased  to  enable  me, 
to  '  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith,  which  was  once  delivei'ed 
to  the  saints'  (which  I  purpose  to  make  the  text),  by  shewing 
(1)  The  Supreme  authority  of  that  Book  in  which  the  Faith  is 
delivered  to  us :  (2)  The  One  and  Only  Method  of  Restora- 
tion to  the  favour  of  God,  revealed  to  us  therein :  and  (3)  The 
only  Method  of  Restoration  to  His  Image.  This  w\\\  give 
occasion  to  strike  at  the  root  of  the  three  capital  errors  of 
Popery  and  Puseyism.  While  Puseyism  professes  to  detest 
Popery,  it  does  nothing  more  than  repudiate  some  of  its  more 
glaring  and  abominable  tenets,  while  it  attempts  to  lead  back 
the  Reformed  and  really  Apostolic  Church  to  those  prolific 
seeds  and  principles  of  error  which  were  sown  even  in  the  days 
of  the  Aposdes,  and  germinated  and  shot  forth  with  fearful 
power  in  the  Primitive  Church  of  the  second  and  diird  centu- 
ries (see  1  Tim.  iv.  1 — 5);  and  'when  he  that  letted  and 
hindered  was  taken  out  of  the  way,'  soon  put  in  his  place  the 
spiritual  tyrant  (2  Thess.  ii.  1  —  12).  But  'all  power  is  given 
to  me  in  heaven  and  earth.' 

This  Sermon  was  published  under  the  title  of 
"  Perverted  Tradition  the  Bane  of  the  Church." 

Concurrent  with  the  unhappy  religious  movement 
which  was  now  invading  the  Church,  the  spirit  of 
reckless  agitation  which  the  Reform  Bill  brought 
with  it  was  still  shaking  the  political  world.  "  God 
has  a  controversy  with  us,"  was  the  opinion  of  Mr. 
Pratt,  "  as  a  Church  and  a  Nation.  He  is  raising  up 
enemies  against  both.     Our  civil,  political,  and  reli- 


344  TRACTARIAN  ERRORS.  [Chap.  XVIII. 

gious  state  is  fearful."     He  tells  the  Bishop  of  Cal- 
cutta : — 

"  It  is  become  almost  a  moot-point  with  many  of  us,  what 
party  in  the  State  we  should  wish  to  take  the  lead.  The 
Ministerialists  have  been  so  overruled,  under  the  force  of  the 
various  and  even  contradictory  influences  which  have  acted 
upon  them,  that  we  have  to  bless  God  for  appointments  and 
measures,  favourable  to  the  cause  of  truth  and  righteousness, 
beyond  our  hopes.  But  the  spirit  of  liberalism,  which  let  fidl 
these  advantages  by  the  way,  has  laid  the  foundation  of  incal- 
culable evil ;  and  is  on  its  headlong  and  reckless  course  toward 
absolute  anarchy,  moral  and  social.  It  is  the  working  of  the 
infernal  spirit  in  the  children  of  disobedience." 

And  after  recurring  to  the  false  remedy  which  the 
Tractarian  party  were  urging,  he  proceeds : — ■ 

"All  these  professed  attempts  to  curb  and  restrain  tlie 
demon,  by  investing  the  Church  with  the  attributes  of  Divinity, 
are  but  another  form  of  Satan's  working,  which  tend  directly  to 
promote  his  cause,  by  blunting  or  destroying  the  only  weapons 
of  salvation  by  grace  through  faith,  the  gift  of  God,  by  which 
the  kingdom  and  works  of  the  devil  can  be  subverted  in  the 
world,  or  in  the  heart  and  life  of  any  individual  sinner. 

"  We  are  fallen,  indeed,  on  the  old  controversy  which  has 
been  waged  from  the  beginning.  The  apostate  and  the 
believing  races,  with  Cain  or  Abel  at  the  head  of  each,  have 
ever  divided  the  world.  The  same  proud  self-sufficiency,  and 
the  same  grateful  submission  to  God,  as  characterized,  respec- 
tively, these  first  brothers  of  the  old  world,  have  been,  in  all 
succeeding  ages,  the  distinguishing  and  prevailing  characteris- 
tics, under  every  variety  of  form,  of  the  enemies  and  the  servants 
of  God.  The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  have  their  exact  counter- 
part in  the  Traditionists  of  the  Christian  Church,  in  whom 
Satan's  devices  wrought  fatally  and  widely  long   before  the 


1839.]  TRACTARIAN  ERRORS.  345 

Apostles  themselves  left  the  world :  so  that  it  is  part  of  the 
commendation  of  the  Church  of  Ephesus — *  Thou  hast  tried 
them,  which  say  they  are  Apostles,  and  are  not ;  and  hast  found 
them  liars.'  Is  it  any  wonder,  then,  that  every  declaration  and 
opinion  of  the  next  age,  and  every  succeeding  age,  should, 
with  scrupulous  care  and  pious  earnestness,  be  brought  to  the 
test  of  that  standard  which  holy  men  of  God,  who  spake  as 
they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  formed  or  attested  ? 
"  Dark  clouds  are  gathering  over  our  beloved  Church ;  and 
they  are  blackened  by  the  mists  and  fogs  which  are  rising  up 
from  among  ourselves.  No  sweeping  gale  crosses  their  waves 
and  drives  them  away.  Our  dear  Bishop  of  Chester  boldly 
and  perseveringly  exposes  and  puts  to  shame  the  falsehoods  and 
mystifications  with  which  our  Church  is  now  assaulted  and 
beguiled,  by  dishonest  men  who  live  on  her  food  and  wear  her 
garb,  and  have  sworn  to  be  her  sons  and  servants,  while  they 
lift  up  the  heel  against  her.  «  ♦  »  Disaffection,  indifierence, 
or  fear,  has  suppressed  testimony  against  these  evils  to  such  an 
extent,  that  the  Tractarians  have  been  emboldened  to  develope 
their  '  conspiracy '  with  a  rapidity  surprising  to  themselves. 
Froude's  wretched  '  Remains '  gave  such  a  shock  to  public 
feeling,  that  the  more  wary  of  the  conspirators  feared  that  they 
had  too  much  presumed  on  that  feeling ;  but  a  very  short  time 
sees  these  very  men  coming  forward  far  beyond  even  Froude. 
Yet  there  is  a  strong  desire,  on  the  part  especially  of  the  intel- 
ligent members  of  the  Church,  clerical  and  lay,  to  see  the  truth 
firmly  and  boldly  vindicated.  Archdeacon  Pott  delivered 
lately  an  admirable  Charge,  at  St.  Sepulchre's,  in  vindication 
of  the  Sole  Rule  of  Faith,  which  met  the  cordial  approbation, 
as  I  have  reason  to  believe,  of  all  the  clergy  most  competent 
to  judge." 

Shortly  after  this  the  Conservatives  came  into 
power ;  and,  happily,  the  fears  entertained  of  their 
behig  likely  to  extend  their  favour  to  the  Tractarian 


3i(j  MINISTERIAL  CHANGES.  [Chai.  XVIII. 

movement  were  not  realized.     On  the  31st  of  August, 
1841,  Mr.  Pratt  writes  : — 

"We  are  undergoing  mighty  changes.  Yesterday  the 
Ministry  resigned.  The  formation  of  a  new  Ministry  does 
not  excite  much  anxiety,  as  the  principal  members  have  long 
been  known.  The  bearing  of  the  new  Cabinet  on  the  Church 
is  a  fit  subject  for  our  thoughts  and  prayers.  Newman,  in  the 
'  British  Critic,'  is  writing  so  offensively  of  Sir  Robert  Peel, 
that  we  can  account  for  it  only  on  the  supposition,  that  the 
schismatics  have  ascertained  that  the  Conservative  Government 
will  not  favour  them.  *  •  •  •  The  venality  of  the  public 
journals,  and  the  recklessness  of  public  men,  drive  us  out  to 
sea.  Yet  our  anchor  holds  !  A  mighty  work  is  to  be  done — 
our  own  degraded  and  half  atheistic  masses  are  to  be  upturned 
and  purified — the  busy,  eager,  ungodly,  sensual,  pleasure- 
taking  world  of  the  middle  and  upper  orders  are  to  be  brought 
to  God — the  nations  are  to  be  converted ;  even  China  seems  to 
be  opening.  Oh  !  how  does  every  step  of  the  providence 
and  grace  of  our  God  call  us  to  live  on  Christ — to  cleave  to 
Him  with  purpose  of  heart — to  labour  for  Him,  that  we  may 
die  in  Him !" 

Five  months  later  he  writes  again  : — 

"  We  have  had  many  fears  concerning  the  present  Ministers. 
The  leaning  of  Conservatism  is  naturally  toward  things  as  theij 
have  been,  and  to  be  slow  and  reluctant  in  admitting  change. 
Attachment  to  the  Church  in  its  secular  character,  as  connected 
with  the  State,  inclines  the  mind  to  the  strengthening  of  the 
power  of  the  Church  in  temporal  matters  ;  and  as  the  new  sect 
comes  forward  with  great  pretensions  of  recovering  the  Church 
to  a  higher  system  of  influence  and  authority,  it  was  to  be 
feared  that  they  would  be  at  least  looked  on  with  allowance, 
if  not  with  favour.  But  we  begin  to  hope  that  it  will  not  be 
so.     A  vacancy  has  occurred  in  the  Sec  of  Chichester,  by  the 


1841.]  TOKENS  FOR  GOOD.  347 

unexpected  death  of  the  lately-appointed  Bishop,  Dr.  Shuttle- 
worth;  and  we  are  rejoiced  at  the  prompt  nomination  of  Dr. 
Gilbert,  the  Principal  of  Brasenose,  to  the  See.  *  *  *  * 
I  wish  Mr.  Gladstone  were  not  a  member  of  the  Government. 
As  a  man  of  talent  and  industry,  he  has  weight ;  and  though 
he  is  a  man  of  religious  feeling,  yet  his  fallacious  views  of 
'  the  Church''  lead  him  deplorably  astray." 

There  were,  however,  in  these  dangerous  times  not 
a  few  tokens  for  good,  which  he  marked  with  gratitude 
and  thankfulness. 

"  We  witness,"  he  said,  "  a  manifest  preparation  for  the 
triumph  of  the  Truth.  The  authority  of  every  thing  opposed 
to  that  of  Scripture  is  weakening.  The  Fathers  of  the  Christian 
Church  are  undergoing  an  ordeal  which  will  settle  for  ever 
their  true  value.  Tradition  is  submitted  to  a  trial,  before 
which  its  use  as  a  witness  and  its  abuse  as  an  authority  are 
clearly  severed.  The  preference  of  any  thing,  intellectual  or 
physical,  to  the  life  of  faith  and  love  is  demonstrating  its  own 
folly.  Assumption  of  undue  authority  is  detected,  in  whatever 
form  it  appears.  Every  system  of  opinions  is  undergoing  a 
sifting.  Men  are  driven  to  declare  themselves.  Infidelity  has 
issued  in  the  avowed  Atheism  of  large  numbers.  Truth  is 
brought  to  light  from  under  ages  of  obscurity.  Master  minds, 
under  the  controul  of  true  Religion,  are  lending  their  aid  for 
the  destruction  of  delusive  error." 

And  again  : — 

"  While  the  fearful  signs  of  the  times  weigh  heavily  on  the 
minds  of  thoughtful  men,  yet  the  eye  of  faith  can,  in  these 
gathering  storms  and  the  present  outbursts  of  the  tempest,  see 
on  the  darkest  clouds  the  appointed  sign  of  the  faithfulness  of 
a  Covenant  God —  beaming  out,  now  and  then,  even  with 
splendour.  It  pleases  Him  remarkably  to  set  things  discou- 
raging and  encouraging  one  against  another." 


348  KRISHNAGHUR.  [Chap.  XVIIl. 

And  in  a  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  after 
enumerating  some  of  the  crying  evils  of  the  day,  he 
adds : — 

"  There  are,  however,  better  things  among  us.  Revivals  of 
religion,  of  the  most  solid  kind,  are  taking  place  in  Scotland, 
while  India  shews  us,  to  our  great  joy,  that  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  not  restrained." 

Intelligence  of  an  important  outburst  of  inquiry 
among  the  natives  of  Bengal,  in  and  around  the 
Missions  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel 
south  of  Calcutta,  had  hardly  reached  England  and 
been  generally  made  known,  when  similar  tidings 
arrived  of  a  movement  of  the  same  description  in  the 
Church  Missionary  Society's  Bengal  Mission,  a  few 
miles  to  the  north. 

"  Krishnaghur,"  he  continues,  "  is  but  a  repetition  and 
augmentation  of  Janjera  and  Barripore,  only  just  made  known 
among  us.  We  must  view  these  things,  indeed,  with  chastened 
feelings ;  but  when  one  Society  after  another,  in  very  distant 
fields  of  labour,  is  so  highly  privileged  as  to  witness  a  work, 
which,  however  close  upon  it  may  follow  the  malignant  efforts 
of  Satan  to  mar  and  disgrace  it,  cannot  but  be  deemed  by 
every  true  Christian  to  be  of  God,  we  are  loudly  called  on  to 
thank  God  and  take  courage.  In  all  probability  this  work  will 
greatly  subside :  but  it  will  revive  again ;  if  not  in  the  same 
spot,  yet  elsewhere  :  so  that  though  the  tide  of  grace  may  ebb 
so  far  as  to  check  the  hope  of  its  returning,  it  will  return,  and 
will  gain  something  beyond  the  last  flow.  If  we  look  beyond 
our  own  circle,  and  take  in  the  whole  field  of  the  world,  there 
is  even  far  more  to  encourage  than  to  damp." 

In  the  same  tone  he  writes  to  his  son,  shortly 
after : — 


1840.]  KRISHNAGHUR.  349 

*'  We  are  full  of  the  glad  tidings  from  Krishnaghur.  Expect, 
however,  all  that  the  malignant  Spirit  may  be  permitted  to  do. 
Yet  if  trials  and  discouragements  arise,  the  work  will  revive, 
or  break  out  elsewhere.  It  looks  as  though  our  Heavenly 
Master  designed  to  awaken  attention  and  to  encourage  zeal 
and  perseverance,  by  these  showers  of  grace  on  different  parts 
of  the  Missionary  field.  Americans,  Wesleyans,  London 
Society's  Missionaries,  Gospel-Propagation  Missionaries,  and 
others  in  less  degree,  have  enjoyed  the  abundant  blessing ! 
His  holy  will  be  done  !     His  kingdom  come !" 

At  a  later  date,  when  the  first  excitement  of  the 
awakening  at  Krishnaghur  had  abated,  and  time  had 
been  allowed  for  a  closer  examination  into  the  motives 
which  had  actuated  so  many  to  renounce  the  religion 
of  their  fathers,  he  writes  again  : — 

"  The  late  communications  relative  to  that  Mission  go  very 
much  to  satisfy  us  that  the  work  there  is  real  and  of  God ; 
while  its  progress,  and  even  its  stability,  depend,  under  the 
grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  very  greatly  on  the  wise,  fatherly, 
patient,  forbearing,  yet  firm  and  steady  conduct  of  the  Missio- 
naries. I  am  reminded  very  much  of  Johnson  and  his  Regent's 
Town  Liberated  Africans  :  while  he  lived  (a  tender  and  com- 
passionate father  among  them,  teaching  them  like  little 
children  to  go,  taking  them  by  their  arms — Hos.  xi.  3,  4 — reco- 
vering them  if  they  tottered  and  lifting  them  if  they  fell,  but 
suffering  no  sin  upon  them)  they  prospered,  and  shewed  satis- 
factory evidence  of  the  grace  of  God  upon  them  ;  but  when 
new  teachers  came,  though  excellent  men  yet  not  in  their  con- 
fidence nor  with  the  parental  spirit  of  Johnson,  they  fell  into 
such  confusion,  that  the  former  apparent  work  seemed  to  have 
been  much  in  semblance  only :  yet  afterward  it  revived  and 
recovered,  so  as  to  prove  there  was  a  real  and  abiding  influence 
and  power  of  God  upon  his  labours." 


350  CONCLUSION  OF  WAR  WITH  CHINA.      [Chap.  XVIII. 

His  long  and  intimate  acquaintance  with  Missionary 
operations  gave  a  peculiar  value  to  the  opinions  here 
expressed ;  and  time  has  shewn  that  both  his  fears 
and  hopes  have  been  thus  far  fully  realized. 

Encouraging  tidings  also  of  another  kind  soon 
arrived  from  the  East,  which  greatly  relieved  his 
mind,  and  promised  to  open  a  new  and  wide  door  for 
Missionary  effort. 

"  November  23,  1842. 
"  Yesterday's  mail  from  France  brought  us  a  telegraphic 
notice  of  the  conclusion  of  the  war  in  China.  We  greatly 
rejoice.  The  news  takes  a  load  off  my  mind.  I  am  not  satis- 
fied that  the  war  was  just  on  our  part.  As  the  [East-India] 
Company  had  a  monopoly  from  Government  of  the  growth 
of  opium,  and  this  opium  was  imported  into  China,  in  fact 
smuggled,  contrary  to  the  desires  of  the  Chinese  Government, 
the  destruction  of  the  opium  appears  to  have  been  no  just  cause 
of  war,  unless  the  Chinese  Government  had  vitiated  its  own 
decrees  by  officially  winking  at  its  importation.  Then  the 
slaughter  by  thousands,  and  almost  myriads,  of  the  people  was 
most  painful.  Whatever  be  the  moral  state  of  the  question,  I 
pray  our  great  Lord  and  Master  to  pardon  the  sin  of  all,  and 
to  overrule  and  direct  all  for  His  own  glory.  You  will  have 
known  the  terms  before  we  did,  I  presume.  Here  is  certainly, 
by  these  terms,  an  access  opened  to  civilized  nations  into 
China,  such  as  has  never  been  before  attained." 

Among  other  encouraging  features  of  the  times  Mr. 
Pratt  placed,  as  we  have  already  seen,  the  discoun- 
tenance which  the  rulers  of  the  State  gave  to  the 
Tractarian  party.  In  addition  to  this,  we  may  now 
add  the  rapid  development,  and  therefore  detection 
by  many  who  had  hitherto  halted  between  two  opi- 


1842.]  TRACTARIANISM  REFUTED.  351 

nions,  of  the  real  tendency  of  the  whole  system.  The 
symptoms  of  the  inveterate  disease  were  becoming 
more  and  more  apparent  to  thinking  men. 

To  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Pratt. 

'•'•January ,  1842. 

"  The  attempt  of  NeMman,  in  Tract  No.  90,  to  pervert  the 
obvious  sense  of  the  Articles,  so  as  to  allow  of  a  man's  con- 
scientiously subscribing  these  Articles,  and  yet  believing  the 
doctrines  against  which  they  were  expressly  directed,  is  an  act 
of  unprincipled  Jesuitism  which  has  startled  many  on  the  brink 
of  the  precipice  to  which  they  had  been  insensibly  beguiled. 
Charges,  and  sermons,  and  pamphlets,  are  issued  against  this 
pestilent  heresy,  and  volumes  are  now  following.  Besides  the 
able  volume  of  Bishop  M'llvaine  in  America,  chiefly  on  the 
new  or  revived  errors  of  Justification,  our  friend  the  Rev. 
William  Goode  has  just  published,  in  two  volumes,  of  ^Qt'S;  and 
802  pages  respectively,  on  the  Divine  Rule  of  Faith  and  Prac- 
tice, in  which  he  has  handled  at  large  all  the  chief  parts  of  the 
controversy.  Bishop  Meade,  of  Virginia,  was  in  London  last 
summer,  and  rendered  Mr.  Goode  advice  and  assistance  in  this 
work ;  and  considered  it  so  conclusive,  that  he  promoted  the 
preparation  of  an  edition  of  it  in  the  United  States  as  it  pro- 
ceeded in  the  press  in  this  country,  which  edition  is  now 
issued  or  about  to  issue  there.  I  am  reading  the  work,  and 
greatly  rejoice  in  it.  The  argument  is  often  not  so  lucid  and 
plain  as  might  be  wished ;  but  it  is  a  storehouse  of  unanswer- 
able reasonings,  and  searches  every  part  of  the  subject." 

It  was  an  early  boast  of  the  leaders  of  this  move- 
ment— and  one  which  no  doubt  induced  many,  who 
afterwards  forsook  them,  to  look  favourably  upon 
their  plans — that  their  only  desire  was  to  bring  back 
our  Church,  in  its  doctrine  and  practice,  to  the  model 
of  that  of  the  primitive  age.    But  it  speedily  appeared 


352  TRACTARIANISM  AND  POPERY.  [Chap.  XVIII. 

that  their  model  age  was  very  far  indeed  from  that  of 
primitive  Christianity. 

No  more  significant  indication  of  the  end  to  which 
the  movement  was  hurrying  on  its  advocates  could 
have  been  given,  than  their  appeal  to  that  fruitful 
seed-plot  of  Popish  error — the  fourth  and  fifth  cen- 
turies. 

To  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta. 

"  Augtist  29,  1842. 

"  Ignorance  of  the  Gospel,  with  the  accompanying  worlcUi- 
ness  of  a  great  body  of  the  Clergy,  and  the  enmity  of  numbers 
of  them  to  the  distinguishing  doctrines  and  the  converting  and 
spiritual  power  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  have  long  pre- 
pared many  for  any  system  which  should  plausibly  free  men 
from  the  obligation  of  their  just  views  of  religion,  and  enable 
them  to  unite  and  settle  down  in  a  system  more  conformable  to 
the  views  and  feelings  of  the  fallen  man.  This  system  stands 
forth  perfect  in  all  its  parts,  in  that  Apostacy  which  is  the  most 
subtle  and  determined  enemy  of  the  kingdom  and  subjects  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For  though  Popery  makes  large 
demands  on  the  outward  man,  its  compensations  are  so  invalu- 
able to  the  unrenewed  man,  as  to  make  it  the  religion  which  he 
desires,  if  he  must  have  any  religion  at  all. 

"  The  tendency  of  Tractarianism  to  Popery  is  everywhere 
seen.  In  its  essence  it  is  Popery.  Its  rule  of  faith  and  duty 
is  the  same,  for  both  interpret  and  control  Scripture  by  tlie 
traditions  and  opinions  of  uninspired  men  :  and  acceptance 
with  God  is  held,  by  both  Popery  and  Tractarianism,  to  be  on 
tlie  ground  of  man's  righteousness  made  perfect  by  the  righte- 
ousness of  Christ;  and  so  with  an  utter  confusion  of  Justifica- 
tion and  Sanctification,  and  with  the  rejection  of  tliat  which  is 
the  great  glory  of  the  Gospel." 

It  was  the  dread  he  entertained  of  any  system  tend- 


1842.]  TRACTARIAN  ERRORS.  353 

ing  in  the  least  to  obscure  and  subvert  the  great  doc- 
trine of  salvation  by  grace  alone,  through  faith,  which 
was  the  ground  of  this  decided  hostility  to  Tracta- 
rianism. 

"  All  the  discussions,"  he  tells  a  friend  in  Norfolk,  "  about 
forms,  and  dress,  and  buildings,  and  even  rubrics,  are  lighter 
tlian  a  feather,  compared  with  the  fatal  error  which  pervades 
the  wretched  system,  in  common  with  Popery,  of  substituting 
any  form  or  measure  of  man's  righteousness,  for  justification 
before  God,  in  the  place  of  the  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ 
imputed  to  us,  and  received  by  a  faith  which  is  of  the  Holy 
Spirit's  operation  in  us." 

While,  however,  he  took  this  decided  view  of  the 
great  question,  and  unsparingly  condemned  the  funda- 
mental principles  upon  which  it  was  based,  as  bring- 
ing in  (to  use  the  Apostle's  language)  "  another  gospel, 
which  is  not  another,"  he  yielded  to  no  one  as  an 
unflinching  advocate  for  a  constant  adherence  to  the 
discipline  and  order  of  his  own  Church.  While  he 
spoke  of  Tractarianism  as  being  "  the  old  question 
between  Spiritual  and  Formal  Religion,"  he  added  : — 

"  Many,  indeed,  who  rank  justly  with  the  spiritual  body 
may  yet  learn  more  consistency  in  the  use  of  forms  ;  while, 
among  those  who  rank  with  the  other  division,  there  are  many, 
I  doubt  not,  who  are  spiritual  men.  But  the  danger  of  the 
question  in  these  days  is,  that  error  is  put  forth  in  such  a 
plausible  guise,  and  is  so  wrapped  up  and  mystified,  and  is 
made  to  appeal  so  strongly  to  tlie  weakness,  and  vanity,  and 
self-righteousness,  and  love  of  distinction,  and  worldliness  of 
the  carnal  heart,  that  it  runs  swiftly,  and  mightily  prevails, 
because  it  falls  on  congenial  materials  wherever  it  goes." 

A  A 


351  APPOINTMENT  OF  RURAL  DEANS.       [Chap.  XVIII. 

And  on  another  occasion,  when  witnessing  in  a 
country  parish  the  adoption  of  plans  of  enlarged  use- 
fulness, he  writes  ; — 

"  Things  are  tending,  I  trust,  to  a  good  issue,  in  this  respect, 
in  our  Church.  The  ultra  zeal  for  externals,  which  has  so 
violently  come  over  many  minds,  will  put  the  more  discerning 
and  spiritual  Churchmen  on  more  attention  than  diey  have 
been  wont  to  pay  to  die  rubrical  provisions  of  the  Church. 
Much  may  be  done  in  this  way  for  real  edification,  and  for  the 
attainment  of  greater  uniformity,  without  exciting  wonder  by 
revivino-  practices  which  have  fiillen  into  desuetude,  or  by 
induleins  unauthorized  and  ridiculous  fancies." 

In  the  same  spirit  he  viewed  the  recently-revived 
practice  of  appointing  Rural  Deans.  This  practice  he 
thus  commends,  pointing  out,  at  the  same  time,  the 
dangers  to  be  guarded  against  :— 

"  The  Clergy  are  coming  together  into  more  frequent  Meet- 
ings in  Rural  Deaneries,  &c.,  to  confer  on  the  more  external* 
matters  of  dieir  parishes.  This  is  very  good,  so  far  as  it  goes, 
and  if  it  does  not  set  aside  more  spiritual  intercourse.  If  the 
Meetings  of  the  Clergy  are  all  to  become  official  and  formal 
Meetings,  it  will  greatly  weaken  die  Church's  main  point  of 
support — the  faith  and  love  of  her  Ministers.  There  must  be 
a  communion  with  one  another,  in  those  matters  of  inward 
experience,  in  which  unconverted  men  cannot  share.  No 
agreement  in  outward  order  and  discipline,  or  in  the  manage- 
ment of  schools  and  the  support  of  Societies,  can  take  away  the 
distinction  which  exists  between  the  converted  and  die  uncon- 
verted. And  while  modesty  and  humility,  and  an  endeavour 
to  win  others  by  courteousness  and  kindness,  will  mark  the  true 
servant  of  Christ,  he  will  be  on  his  guard  against  being  drawn 
by  false  charity  to  Uiink  others  may  stand  with  safety  on  a 


1843.]  PLYMOUTH  BRETHREN.  335 

lower  level  of  doctrine  and  experience,  than  that  on  which  he 
lias  been  brought  to  stand." 

His  steady  attachment  to  order  and  discipline  in 
the  Church,  appears  also  in  the  view  in  which  he 
took  of  measures  which  seemed  to  endanger  their 
proper  maintenance.  For  instance,  of  a  new  body  of 
persons  calling  themselves  "  Plymouth  Brethren"  he 
thus  speaks  : — 

"  This  Brethrenism  seems  the  quintessence  oi  Dissociality  : 
all  other  bodies  are  to  merge  in  theirs ;  and  every  individual 
member,  under  a  pretext  of  closest  union,  asserts  and  follows 
whatever  opinions  he  pleases  :  at  least  so  it  appears  in  practice." 

And  again : — 

"This  search  after  'Optimism'  is,  I  fear,  inseparably  con- 
nected with  an  undue  estimate  of  self,  and  an  uncharitable 
judgment  concerning  others.  May  our  merciful  Lord  keep  us 
from  all  error!  May  He  be  graciously  with  these,  in  our 
judgment,  wanderers  from  the  plain  path,  and  guide  their 
steps,  if  not  back  again  to  the  way  marked  '  by  the  footsteps 
of  the'  greater  body  of  the  '  flock,'  yet  safely  to  His  heavenly 
kingdom  !" 

From  the  same  cause — his  sense  of  the  necessity  of 
order  and  discipline  for  the  preservation  of  peace  and 
union  in  the  Church — he  entertained  strong  doubts  of 
the  ultimate  success  of  the  efforts  which  some  excel- 
lent persons  began  to  make,  about  1843,  for  bringing 
together  Christians  of  all  denominations,  who  agree  on 
certain  general  principles,  in  an  EvangelkaJ  AUlance, 
and   could   not   be   prevailed   upon    to  join   in    the 

attempt. 

A  a2 


356  EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  [Chap.  XVIII. 


To  the  Rev.  J.  If.  Pratt. 

"■August  28,  1845. 

"  Good  men  of  almost  all  denominations,  except  the  Clmrcli, 
are  making  strenuous  efforts  to  form  a  closer  union  with  one 
another,  on  the  common  principles  on  which  Evangelical  Chris- 
tians agree.  About  thirty  Ministers — Wesleyans,  Indepen- 
dents, Baptists,  Scottish  Churchmen,  and  Scottish  Seceders, 
&c. — have  called  a  Meeting  at  Exeter  Hall  for  the  Ist  of  June. 
One  Clergyman  only  has  given  his  name.  We  wish  well 
heartily  to  the  plan,  and  hope  that  it  may  please  God  to  enable 
them  to  realize  the  union  thus  spoken  of  in  their  first  two 
Resolutions:  '  1st,  That  this  Meeting  is  fully  persuaded  that 
real  and  essential  unity  exists  among  all  the  children  of  God ; 
and  that  being  united  to  Christ,  they  are,  in  principle  and  affec- 
tion, united  to  each  other  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  2d,  That  this 
Meeting  is  therefore  convinced  of  the  duty  and  practicability 
of  rendering  visible  the  union  of  all  who  hold  the  Head,  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Lord,  notwithstanding  the  diversity  of  their  opinions 
and  practice  with  regard  to  minor  points  of  faith  and  ritual 
observance;  and  that  the  state  of  theological  controversy, 
Missionary  operations,  and  public  sentiments  at  the  present 
time,  renders  it  peculiarly  desirable  to  attempt  the  furtherance 
of  such  a  Union.' 

"  But  it  is  these  very  circumstances  of  the  day  which  will 
prevent  the  real  Churchmen— those  who  faithfully  hold  the 
fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Church,  and  drink  into  her  spirit 
— from  forming  common  cause  in  any  external  union  with  those 
who  are  not  of  our  communion :  for  such  union  would  weaken 
their  hands,  in  raising  a  barrier  against  that  torrent  of  heresy 
and  superstition,  which  threatens  to  sweep  away  the  Church 
itself  A  real,  and  godly,  and  unsectarian  union  among  parties 
not  of  the  Church,  would  give  great  strength  and  support  to  the 
people  of  God  in  the  Church,  who  are  united  to  true  believers 
of  every  name  throughout  the  world  by  a  bond  which  will  fix 


1843.]  EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE.  357 

them  in  one  blessed  company,  when  all  grounds  of  difference 
shall  be  done  away  for  ever." 

An  extract  from  another  letter,  of  an  earlier  date, 
will  shew  one  of  the  chief  reasons  why  he  could  not 
see  his  way  to  unite  in  the  attempt  to  form  an 
external  alliance  of  the  kind  now  proposed. 

To  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta. 

^^  September,  1838. 
"  We  are  loudly  called  on,  by  the  state  of  things  around,  to 
be  united  in  love  as  members  of  the  same  Church ;  but  this 
spirit  of  error,  which  has  broken  in  upon  us,  tends  to  further 
jealousies  and  divisions.  May  it  please  God  to  overrule  this 
state  of  things  to  the  drawing  more  closely  together  of  all  who 
really  hold  the  doctrines  of  grace,  however  they  may  differ  in 
expression.  Men,  truly  taught  by  the  blessed  Spirit  their  need 
of  Christ  and  His  suitableness  to  all  their  need,  have  a  ground 
for  mutual  forbearance  and  love  which  no  difference  of  opinion 
or  pursuit  should  take  from  under  them.  The  Catholic  Eman- 
cipation (so  called),  with  all  its  consequences  and  subsequents, 
has  led,  under  the  awful  control  of  the  Divine  Hand,  to  a  state 
of  public  concerns  most  truly  awakening.  Our  Dissenting 
Brethren  have  been  injured  by  these  tilings  incalculably.  They 
Mere  led  to  believe,  by  their  sanguine  politicians,  that  they 
might  attain,  by  a  right  use  of  their  great  strength,  the  perfect 
equality  of  all  religious  communities  among  us  as  to  any  sup- 
port from  the  State :  and  this  they  were  taught  to  consider  as 
a  consummation  most  devoutly  to  be  wished,  for  the  interests 
of  the  cause  of  God.  Under  this  fallacious  notion,  almost  all, 
even  of  the  most  staid  and  sober  among  them,  were  brought  to 
think,  that  they  were  doing  God  an  acceptable  service  in 
utterly  subverting  the  United  Church.  But  they  have  been  led 
too  fast  and  too  far.  They  have  exposed  their  weakness  as  a 
political  body,  and  have  deeply  injured  their  spirituality  as  a 


358  SECESSION  FROM  THE  [Chap.  XVIII. 

Christian  body.     All  this  renders  intercourse  with  them  more 
difficult." 

In  March,  1844,  he  wrote  on  the  same  subject  to  the 
Bishop  of  Calcutta.  After  touching  on  the  various 
anxious  questions  which  were  exercising  the  minds  of 
Christians  at  home,  he  says : — 

"  In  the  midst  of  these  things,  there  is  a  manifest  gathering 
of  men  and  hearts  round  the  Christian  centre  of  truth  and  love. 
The  want  of  more  outward  union  among  all  the  children  of 
God  is  felt  and  lamented  by  multitudes,  and  endeavours  are 
making  in  various  quarters  to  bring  about  recognized  union  of 
spirit,  where  further  union  is  not  yet  practicable.  But  we  do 
not  seem  ripe  for  this.  Perhaps  it  will  be  trouble  and  suffering 
alone,  which  will  be  a  uniting  cement  of  sufficient  power,  to 
hold  together  in  any  outward  union  all  who  are  united  in  heart. 
There  is,  however,  a  silent  and  observable  approximation 
toward  truth  and  love  among  the  true  servants  of  God.  They 
feel  that  there  is  nothing  solid  and  enduring  but  that  hold  on 
Christ,  which  is  the  badge  and  the  distinguishing  feature  of 
those  who  are  brethren.     Every  thing  else  passes  away." 

Upon  another  and  a  greater  question — the  Secession 
from  the  Church  of  Scotland — he  gave  an  opinion 
which  was  formed  under  the  same  high  sense  of  the 
duty,  of  making  every  lawful  effort  to  maintain  the 
peace  and  order  of  the  Church. 

In  writing  to  a  friend  in  New  York,  he  thus  touches 
on  this  question  : — 

"It  is  plain  to  the  enlightened  eye  that  God  is  trying,  by 
His  dispensations,  the  spirits  of  men.  Take  Scotland  for 
example.  The  Secession  from  the  Established  Presbyterian 
Church  appears,  at  first  view,  a  noble  sacrifice  to  conscience. 
'J'he    undoubted    soundness   of  mind   and  piety  in  Chalmers 


1S44.]  CHURCH  OF  SCOTLAND.  359 

seems  to  preclude  all  question  of  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
the  measure. 

"  But  if  the  step  be  really  good,  the  tone  of  godly  charity 
which  pervaded  the  first  address  of  the  first  Moderator  was 
soon  changed  in  the  organs  of  the  Secession  into  bitterness ; 
and  something  like  rancour  appears  on  both  sides.  But  calmer 
observation  leads  many  to  view  the  Secession  as  founded  on  a 
state  of  things,  which  not  only  did  not  render  it  necessary  to 
the  preservation  of  a  good  conscience,  but  even  makes  it  par- 
take something  of  schism,  for  it  seems  that  the  concessions 
made  are  such  as  to  leave  the  questions  in  the  decision  of  the 
Presbytery ;  but  the  seceders  will  not  be  content,  unless  all  be 
leferred  to  the  body  of  the  people.  Having  taken  the  decisive 
step,  they  are  under  temptation  to  justify  and  commend  that 
step  by  exaggerated  views  of  what  may  have  been  wrong,  and 
depreciation  of  what  is  really  good,  in  the  concessions  made." 

He  writes  in  the  same  strain  to  the  Bishop  of 
Calcutta : — 

"  The  Secession  from  the  Established  Church  of  Scotland 
was,  I  believe,  a  noble  sacrifice  to  what  -was  conscientiously 
considered  to  be  absolute  duty ;  but  I  cannot  yet  feel  convinced 
that  the  sacrifice  was  called  for  by  a  right  view  of  duty  :  yet 
we  must  honour  the  men.  May  God  in  mercy  guide  us  in  all 
difficult  circumstances  and  trials  which  may  await  us !" 

Amongst  the  few  religious  Institutions  which  did 
not  sufTer  more  or  less  from  the  sifting  ordeal  of  the 
times,  was  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  Although 
the  leaven  of  Tractarianism  had  spread  its  influence 
with  alarming  rapidity  over  a  large  portion  of  the 
Church,  it  did  not  reach  the  counsels  of  this  body. 
The  Executive  were,  through  God's  mercy,  preserved 
even  from  the  suspicion  of  favouring  the  new  opinions. 


360  THE  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY      [Chap.  XVIII. 

They  invariably  stood  aloof  from  that  treacherous 
indifFerence,  which,  by  heedlessly  admitting  the  ap- 
proaches of  the  enemy  unobserved,  betrays  the  post 
which  should  have  been  defended  with  watchfulness. 
From  the  very  formation  of  the  Society,  its  spirit  and 
conduct  have  always  been  characterized  by  a  godly 
jealousy  for  the  simplicity  of  evangelical  truth.  The 
maintenance  of  this  spirit  in  a  body  with  which  Mr. 
Pratt's  life  and  labours  had  been  so  much  identified, 
gave  him  peculiar  delight.  "Tlie  Church  Missionary 
Society,"  he  writes  to  his  son  in  1841,  "is  becoming 
more  than  ever  the  refuge  of  Apostolical  and  Reformed 
Truth  ;  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  it  shall  so  continue." 
And  a  year  later : — ''  The  Church  Missionary  Society 
is  become  the  refuge  of  pure  doctrine  in  the  Church. 
It  alters  not.  Where  we  find  her  in  her  First  Report, 
there  we  find  her  in  her  Forty-second." 

But  this  steady  consistency  was  not  maintained 
without  undergoing  more  than  one  severe  ordeal. 

The  external  form  which  the  hostility  to  the  Society 
now  assumed,  was  based  upon  a  supposed  deficiency 
in  ecclesiastical  order  and  discipline.  It  was  asserted, 
that  an  error  of  vital  importance  was  to  be  found  in 
its  constitution,  which  did  not  attach  to  the  other 
kindred  Society  in  the  Church.  That  Society  was 
held  forth  as  a  model  to  which  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  ought  to  conform,  if  it  expected  the  continued 
support  of  consistent  Churchmen.  This  was  urged  by 
Dr.  Pusey  in  two  sermons,  preached  at  Weymouth  in 
behalf  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  and 
afterwards  published  with  an  Appendix,  in  which  he 


1841.]  UNALTERED  IN  PRINCIPLE.  361 

charges  the  Church  INIissionary  Society  with  having 
impeded  the  operations  of  the  ecclesiastical  system  in 
India,  and  attempts  to  substantiate  his  charge  by  a 
series  of  partial  quotations  from  the  published  letters 
of  Bishop  Middleton.  A  reference  to  these  letters  is 
sufficient  to  refute  this  unjust  inference,  and  to  confirm 
the  view  already  given  of  the  difficulties  alluded  to,  in 
a  former  Chapter.* 

Other  attempts  were  likewise  made,  about  the  same 
period,  to  damage  the  high  reputation  which  the  Society 
had  attained,  to  divert  its  resources  into  other  channels, 
and  to  impede  its  operations  at  home  and  abroad. 

Shortly  after  this,  however,  it  was  proposed,  through 
the  medium  of  the  Bishop  of  London,  to  place  both 
the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  and  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  upon  a  new  footing,  relatively  to 
the  Archbishops  and  Bishops  at  home ;  and  this  was 
readily  acceded  to.  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
and  the  Bishop  of  London  then  joined  the  Society ; 
and  thus  was  removed  the  pretext  which  many  have 
urged  for  standing  aloof  from  it,  that  the  highest  autho- 
rities in  the  Church  were  not  among  its  supporters. 

Mr.  Pratt  notices  this  subject  as  follows  : — 

To  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta. 

"oTwneSO,  1841. 

"  A  plan  is  in  progress  to  bring  the  Propagation  and  Church 

Missionary  Societies  into  more  direct  and  simihir  connection 

with  the  heads  of  the  Church.     The  addresses  of  the  Earl  of 

Chichester  and  the  Bishop  of  Winchester  at  the  Church  Missio- 


Scc  Chapter  VI.  pp.  08—102. 


302  NEGOTIATION  WITH  THE  [Chav.  XVIH. 

navy  Anniversary,  which  you  will  find  in  the  *  Missionary 
Register' of  this  month,  will  give  your  Lordship  the  outline. 
The  Church  Missionary  Committee  have  unanimously  and 
cordially  adopted  the  suggestion  of  the  Bishop  of  London, 
saving  the  Society's  regulations  and  practice,  of  which  the 
Bishop  had  previously  expressed  his  approbation.  It  is  under- 
stood that  the  Bishop  will  propose  the  same  view  to  the  Propa- 
gation Society.  The  two  Societies  are  to  continue  to  act  as 
they  now  do,  in  entire  independence  of  each  other ;  but  each 
Society  referring  all  Colonial  questions  of  discipline,  which  may 
require  adjusting,  to  the  Bishops  through  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury.  Great  is  the  obligation  upon  us,  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  to  stand  firm  on  those  principles  which  we 
have  ever  avowed  and  acted  on ;  and  which  are  now  under- 
mined, mystified,  and  opposed  by  so  many.  If  any,  who  have 
been  Members  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  become 
infected  with  these  errors,  they  imbibe  with  them  a  natural  aver- 
sion to  that  Society,  of  which  the  life  and  soul  consists  in  the 
impugned  principles.  These  men  fall  off,  and  some  of  them 
become  bitter  adversaries.  If  God,  in  judgment,  suffer  the 
body  of  the  Clergy  to  imbibe  this  poison,  our  Church  will 
become  utterly  palsied  as  a  Church  ;  and  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society  must  take  care  (and  God  our  Saviour,  by  His 
Holy  Spirit,  to  the  glory  of  the  Eternal  Father,  endue  her 
with  all-sufficient  grace  to  this  end  !)  that  she  keep  open  a 
refuge  of  truth  and  love,  where  every  true  (and  perhaps  then 
persecuted  and  oppressed)  member  of  the  Church  may  retreat 
and  retire  among  the  company  of  the  faithful." 

The  progress  of  this  negotiation  he   reports  in  a 
letter  to  his  son",  the  following  month  : — 

To  the  llev.  J.  H.  Pratt. 

''July  5,1841. 

"  We  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  the  Bishop  of 

London,  are  in  a  negotiation  pregnant,  probably,  with  serious 

consequences,   for  good  or  for  evil,   of  no  small  magnitude. 


1S41.]  HEADS  OF  THE  CHURCH.  363 

The  Bishop  has  sent  us  a  proposition,  that  we  shall  make  some 
modifications  in  our  Society,  in  order  to  place  ourselves  more 
immediately  in  connection  with  the  heads  of  the  Church ;  in 
which  case  both  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the  Bishop 
would  join  the  Society.  This  proposition  became,  of  course, 
matter  of  serious  inquiry  and  discussion.  To-day  the  Com- 
mittee have  come  to  a  determination,  and  have  resolved  to 
recommend  to  a  General  Meeting  of  the  Society,  to  be  held  on 
the  IGth,  the  proposed  modification  of  the  Rules." 

The  day  after  the  Meeting  he  writes  again : — 

"  Our  Special  Meeting  was  held  yesterday,  when  the  Reso- 
lutions passed  unanimously.  They  are  now  become  Laws  of 
the  Society.  «  •  «  *  We  shall  apprise  the  Archbishop  and 
the  Bishop  of  the  proceedings,  and  may  hope  for  the  speedy 
addition  of  their  names.  An  amendment  was  moved  and 
seconded  by  some  Clergymen  from  the  country,  not  fully 
acquainted  with  the  bearings  of  the  question,  that  the  whole 
Bench  should  not  be  made  referees,  but  only  the  Archbishops 
and  Bishops  who  might  be  members  of  the  Society.  But  this 
led  to  such  full  and  satisfactory  explanations,  that  it  was  with- 
drawn, and  the  vote  passed  unanimously.  A  strong  expression 
of  disgust  against  the  Oxford  Tracts  pervaded  the  Meeting." 

To  another  member  of  his  family  he  writes  : — 

*'  We  have  in  this  whole  business— conducted  throughout,  on 
the  part  of  the  Society,  with  much  prayer  and  much  wisdom — 
acted  faithfully  in  our  great  cause.  The  union  formed  with 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  Society,  is  a  union  in  that  which 
the  order  and  discipline  of  the  Church  required  in  order  to 
give  us  the  full  benefit  of  her  sanction,  so  far  as  she  can 
(without  an  act  of  Convocation)  give  it  to  us  ;  yet  leaving  us  to 
the  full  in  the  independent  pursuit  of  our  course,  as  to  all  those 
views  of  Evangelical  truth  which  first  knit  us  together,  and 
which  are   the  life  and  soul  of  our  body.     We  hope,  under 


364  NEW  LAWS  ENACTED  [Chap.  XVIII. 

God,  to  attract  within  our  circle  many  real  servants  of  Christ 
who  were  withheld  from  us  by  their  views  of  Church  order; 
but  ice  humbly  hope  that  tve  have  not  smoothed  the  way  for  a 
single  man  amouy  us,  to  pass  down  from  the  high  ground  of 
justification  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ  made  ours  hy 
faith,  and  of  sanctification  hy  the  regenerating  and  renewing 
grace  of  the  Holy  S^nrit,  to  the  marshes  and  quagmires  of 
popery  and  semi-popery  in  which  too  many  are  zvell-nigh 
suffocated.^' 

The  Resolution  proposing  the  laws  on  the  subject 
of  reference  to  the  Archbishops  and  Bishops  was 
moved  by  Lord  Ashley  ;  and  Mr.  Pratt  was  invited  to 
second  it.* 


*  The  terms  of  the  Resolution  were  these  : — "  That  the  following  be  the 
32nd  and  33rd  Laws  of  the  Society,  and  that  the  present  32nd  Law  be  the 
34th:' — '32nd.  That  all  questions  relating  to  matters  of  Ecclesiastical 
Order  and  Discipline,  respecting  which  a  difference  shall  arise  between  any 
Colonial  Bishop  and  any  Committee  of  the  Society,  shall  be  referred  to 
the  Archbishops  and  Bishops  of  the  United  Church  of  England  and  Ireland, 
whose  decision  thereupon  shall  be  final.'— '33rd.  That  the  object  of  the 
])receding  Law  being  only  to  provide  a  mode  of  settling  questions  relating 
to  Ecclesiastical  Order  and  Discipline,  as  to  which  no  provision  has  yet  been 
made  by  the  Society,  it  is  not  to  be  so  construed  as  in  any  other  respect 
to  alter  the  principles  and  practice  of  the  Society,  as  they  arc  contained  in 
its  Laws  and  Regulations,  and  explained  in  Appendix  II.  to  the  Thirty- 
ninth  Report.  The  proposed  reference  shall  be  made  through  His  Grace 
the  Primate,  by  the  Committee,  accompanied  by  such  explanations  and 
statements  as  the  Committee  may  deem  advisable;  and  the  Committee 
will  be  bound  so  to  refer  all  (|uestions,  falling  within  the  scope  of  the 
Rule  so  understood  as  aforesaid,  which  the  Colonial  Bishop  shall  require 
them  to  refer.  While  all  decisions  of  the  Bench  of  Bishops  upon  questions 
so  referred  will  be  considered  by  the  Committee  as  binding  upon  them 
and  their  agents  or  representatives,  the  (Colonial  Bishops  or  other  Eccle- 
siastical Authorities,  unless  concurring  in  the  reference,  cannot  properly 
be  considered  as  so  bound.'  " 

The  following  report  of  Mr.  Pratt's  remarks,  in  seconding  the  Resolu- 
tion, are  extracted  from  a  new.'^pape)  of  the  day  : — 

"  The 


1841.]  AT  A  SPECIAL  MEETING.  355 

Six  days  after  the  Meeting,  he  writes  again  to  his 
son : — 

"  Our  proceedings  have  given  great  pleasure  to  the  Bishop 
of  London.     I  may  as  well  copy  a  Note  sent  to  Mr.  Vores  [the 


"  The  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  on  coming  forward  to  second  the  Proposition, 
was  greeted  with  general  applause.  He  said  : — Your  Lordship  has  stated, 
and  the  Noble  Lord  who  followed  you  has  also  stated,  the  advantages 
which  will  accrue  to  the  Society  from  the  adoption  of  this  Proposition,  in 
such  a  way  as  to  render  it  unnecessary  for  me  to  enter  further  into  that 
part  of  the  subject.  Had  an  attempt  been  made,  in  the  early  days  of  this 
Listitution,  to  foretel  the  time  when  such  a  Proposition  could  be  submitted 
with  a  certainty  of  success,  it  would  have  been  fixed  at  a  far  more  distant 
period  than  the  present.  I  believe  I  cannot  recognise  a  single  person  here 
now,  as  having  been  present  at  the  formation  of  this  Society  forty-one  years 
ago  ;  but  having  had  some  experience  in  the  details  of  the  Society,  I  may 
say,  and  I  am  sure  my  beloved  friends  who  have  shared  in  the  early 
labours  of  its  operations  will  agree  with  me  in  saying,  that  we  have  felt 
the  difficulty  of  bringing  forward  such  a  Proposition.  We  have  had  great 
jealousy  exercised  over  us  from  the  beginning :  and  to  have  so  many 
Right  Rev.  Prelates  connected  with  the  Society  at  this  period,  and  such 
a  Proposition  made  by  a  Prelate  of  our  CImrch,  and  of  that  diocese  in 
which  we  are  now  assembled,  is  more  than  we  could  expect.  But  permit 
me  to  say,  that  if  this  arrangement  were  to  be  purchased  by  any  sacrifice 
on  the  part  of  the  Society,  I  would  certainly  demur.  I  have  seriously 
and  anxiously  considered  this  question,  for  it  is  one  that  ought  to  be 
thoroughly  examined,  AVhcther  any  sacrifice  ought  to  be  required  of  the 
Society;  more  especially  at  this  time,  when  it  is  clear  that  the  principles 
of  this  Society,  which  are  those  of  an  Apostolical  Church  properly  carried 
out,  have  been  the  great  cause  of  its  success?  If,  then,  the  least  sacrifice 
of  those  principles  were  to  l)e  made  to  effect  this  object,  I  would  protest 
against  it,  and  rather  leave  the  Society  than  continue  in  it  if  it  were  to 
lose  its  great  characteristic  and  vital  principle  of  upholding  the  great 
doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  ground 
of  a  sinner's  hope  for  salvation  with  God.  But  there  is  no  fear  of  that. 
I  think  that  the  blessing  of  God  is  with  the  Society-,  and  that  He  has  led 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the  Bishop  of  London  to  see  that  they 
are  called  upon,  by  their  connection  with  the  Church,  to  sanction  its 
operations ;  and  I  hope  this  course  will  not  be  regarded  as  any  sacrifice, 
but  as  a  deference  paid  to  the  honour  and  usefulness  of  the  Church,  and 

to 


366  THE  ARCHBISHOP  OF  CANTERBURY  AND     [Ciiai>.  XVIH. 

Secretary],  in  answer  to  some  account  of  the  Meeting  sent  by 
him  to  His  Lordship — ■*  I  am  truly  rejoiced  and  thankful  for  the 
intelligence  conveyed  to  me  by  your  letter,  which  I  am  per- 
suaded is  most  important  to  the  Church.     I  wish  to  become  a 


to  consistency  of  principle.  If  there  were  any  clanger  in  this  step,  I  would 
not  only  demur,  but  I  would  oppose  it.  But  I  see  none ;  and,  therefore, 
if  my  opinion  may  be  taken,  it  may  be  safely  taken.  I  agree  with  some 
of  my  friends  here,  that  this  proceeding  is  a  blessing  vouchsafed  from  God 
in  answer  to  prayer.  I  will  not  detain  the  Meeting  by  attempting  to 
describe  at  length  the  advantages  which  will  result  from  this  arrange- 
ment :  Imt  I  may  say  that  it  will  afford  us  a  ready  answer  to  those  who 
say  that  we  have  not  the  sanction  of  the  heads  of  the  Church,  and  to 
many  in  the  kingdom  who  have  sciniples  which  influence  their  minds, 
and  which  were  doubtless  early  formed,  about  the  Society,  on  the  ground 
of  its  not  having  Episcopal  authority  to  rest  upon.  No  doubt  there  are 
many  conscientious  members  of  the  Clergy,  and  of  the  laity  also,  who 
entertain  those  principles,  and  they  will  now  be  led  to  join  this  Society'. 
I  foresee  that  we  shall  gain  much  support  that  will  strengthen  our  hands 
from  these  quarters.  But  I  do  not  want  to  gain  a  mere  formality,  a  mere 
acquiescence,  but  the  hearts  of  those  who  hold  our  vital  principles,  and 
who  commit  their  proceedings  to  God  in  fervent  prayer ;  those  whose 
hearts  are  bent  on  the  conversion  of  the  world.  I  thmk  these  are  some 
of  the  advantages  which  will  result  from  the  adoption  of  this  Proposition. 
I  see  no  danger  in  it.  On  the  contrary,  I  think  it  will  lead  to  a  firm 
determination,  on  the  part  of  the  whole  Church,  to  establi.sh  a  better 
conduct  of  our  Foreign  Missions  and  Churches.  I  have  had  much  corre- 
spondence with  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  on  the  difficulties  under  whicli  our 
Foreign  Missions  and  Ecclesiastical  Establishments  labour.  He  has  seen 
and  felt  those  difficulties.  A  question  has  arisen  about  the  apjdicability 
of  the  Canons  of  our  Church  to  foreign  parts;  and  it  is  pretty  generally 
understood  and  agreed  u])()n,  that  those  Canons  cannot  be  ajijjlied  to 
foreign  parts,  and  a  digest  of  them  will  become  necessary  with  a  view  to 
meet  the  case  :  but  we  have  no  hope  of  our  Church  acting  as  the  Church 
of  Scotland  docs ;  that  is  the  only  Ciuirch  Establishment  which  acts  as  a 
jNIissionary  body.  But  since  we  cannot  act  as  a  Missionary  body,  let  us 
take  this  course,  and  at  least  be  externally  imited  in  the  work  of  Missions. 
'I'his  is  the  only  union  that  can  be  formed  at  present  for  that  end  ;  and  I 
tliink  it  is  a  union  which,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  will  effi;ct  that  end, 
and  therefore  I  thank  God  that  it  has  been  proposed." 


1841]         THE  BISHOP  OF  LONDON  JOIN  THE  SOCIETY.  367 

subscriber  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  will  thank 
you  to  enter  my  name.  •  *  *  The  good  providence  of  God 
seems  to  have  removed  all  difficulties,  and  to  have  opened  a 
great  door  for  the  free  course  of  His  Gospel.'  " 

On  the  31  st,  he  adds : — 

"You  will  rejoice  to  hear  that  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury has  sent  in  his  adhesion  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society  : 
he  did  this  under  date  of  the  24th  of  July,  in  the  following 
letter  to  Mr.  Veres  : — '  This  communication  [of  the  proceedings 
of  the  Special  Meeting]  has  given  me  sincere  pleasure.  I  look 
forward  with  great  satisfaction  to  a  connection  with  the  Society  ; 
and  shall  accept  the  office  of  Vice-Patron,  which  they  have 
done  me  the  honour  of  reserving  for  me  as  Primate,  in  humble 
reliance  on  the  good  providence  of  God,  to  realize  all  the 
advantages  which  may  be  anticipated  from  the  united  exertions 
of  the  members  of  our  National  Church  in  diifusing  the 
blessings  of  our  holy  religion  among  the  benighted  heathen.' 
This  is  in  a  very  kind  spirit.  I  hope  that  we  have  gained  a 
great  point  in  this  matter ;  for  our  action  will  be  still  unfettered, 
while  we  have  the  sanction  of  the  Bench  of  Bishops  generally." 

The  happy  termination  of  this  most  anxious  and 
important  transaction  filled  Mr.  Pratt  with  gratitude. 
His  appearance  at  this  Meeting  was  the  last  time  of 
his  taking  any  public  share  in  the  affairs  of  the  Society. 
Well  has  it  been  observed,  upon  a  review  of  the  long 
period  which  had  now  elapsed  since  he  took  part  in 
the  Society's  formation : — 

"  Seldom  has  it  been  given  to  one  man  to  witness  such  fruits 
from  labours  which  he  was  so  justly  entitled,  humanly  speak- 
ing, to  call  his  own:  but  of  which  he  ever  disclaimed  all  the 
merit  and  glory."  * 

*  Sermon  on  tlie  Death  of  Mr.  Pratt  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Venn,  Hono- 
rary Secretary  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  p.  22. 


368        SOCIETY  FOR  PROPAGATING  THE  GOSPEL.     [Chap.  XVIII. 

The  jealousy  which  he  felt  of  any  thing  that  might 
lead  to  the  introduction  of  a  spurious  Gospel,  and  his 
declaration  that  "  he  would  leave  the  Church  Missio- 
nary Society,  however  attached  to  it,  if  it  were  to  lose 
its  characteristic  and  vital  principle  of  upholding  the 
great  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,"  was  no  tran- 
sient emotion  or  bare  profession.  In  the  year  1843 
he  acted  upon  it,  by  withdrawing  his  name  from  the 
Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  "  finding  it  pub- 
licly avowed,"  he  writes  to  his  son,  "  that  no  means 
were  used  to  ascertain  the  freedom  from  Tractarian 
views  of  the  Clergymen  employed  by  the  Society." 
He  took  this  step,  however,  with  great  reluctance  ;  and 
after  "  various  communications  and  intercourse"  with 
the  authorities,  was  glad  to  be  able  to  return, — 
having  been  "  brought  to  the  conclusion,"  he  informs 
the  Secretary,  which  ^'  he  had  earnestly  wished,  that 
no  party  course"  would  "  be  pursued  by  the  Society  ; 
but  that  good  faith"  would  "  be  kept  with  its  members, 
in  appointing  such  persons  only  to  labour  under  the 
Society,  as  receive  the  Articles  and  the  Liturgy  in  their 
plain  and  grammatical  meaning." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

1839—1844. 

I'ASTOIIAI.     ANXIETIF.S UELINQUISHES     THE     "MISSIONARY     REGISTEli" 

KIXOIID  OF  PASTORAL  VISITS — LETTERS  OF  ADMONITION  AND  CONDOLENCE 

MR.  PRATT    IN    HIS    FABIILY  DEPARTURE    OF    HIS    SECOND    SON    TO 

INDIA  AND  OP    HIS    THIRD    DAUGHTER  TO  NEW  ZEALAND  —  THE    FAMILY 

VISITED    BY    SICKNESS    AND    BEREAVEMENT LETTER    OF    CONSOLATION 

TO    HIS    ELDEST  DAUGHTER — ADVANCING    AGE DEATH    OF    MR.  PRATT 'S 

SISTER DECLINING  HEALTH    AND  STRENGTH. 

The  preceding  Chapter  has  exhibited  Mr.  Pratt  almost 
exclusively  in  the  character  of  a  quiet  and  attentive 
observer  of  the  great  questions  and  events,  which  so 
remarkably  formed  "  the  Signs  of  the  Times"  during 
the  closing  years  of  his  long  life.  '  , 

We  have  fewer  documentary  evidences  of  the  extent 
of  his  personal  labours  during  this  period.  But  it 
must  not,  therefore,  be  concluded  that  he  passed  these 
years  of  comparative  retirement  in  ease  and  leisure. 
From  the  uniformity  of  his  pursuits,  and  the  regularity 
of  his  habits,  there  was  but  little  variety  of  incident 
to  mark  his  progress.  But  in  his  parish  and  in  his 
family  he  was  all  this  time  the' centre  of  life  and 
activity. 

The  spiritual  good  of  the  people  committed  to  his 
charge  lay  very  near  his  heart.  Not  only  in  his  public 
and  private  ministrations,  and  in  the  parochial  institu- 
tions which  he  had  established,  did  he  manifest  a  deep 
concern  for  their  welfare ;  but  he  ceased  not  "  night 
and  day  to  make  mention  of  them  in  prayer"  before 

p.  B 


370  RELIGIOUS  REVIVALS.  [Chap.  XIX. 

God,  desiring  that  they  "  might  be  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  His  will  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual 
understanding;"  that  they  ''might  walk  worthy  of  the 
Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being  fruitful  in  every  good 
work." 

While  he  was  quick  (as  w^e  have  seen)  to  discern 
the  evils  of  his  day,  and  to  notice  them  with  unsparing 
rebuke,  he  was  not  backward  to  scrutinize  his  own 
conduct,  and  to  condemn  himself  for  not  doing  more 
in  his  INIaster's  cause.  An  instance  of  this  spirit  of 
self-application  is  seen  in  a  letter  he  wTote  after  hearing 
of  some  *^  revivals  of  religion,  of  the  most  solid  kind," 
in  Scotland,  and  also  of  the  outburst  of  inquiry  among 
the  natives  of  Bengal  at  Krishnaghur : — 

*'  It  does  seem  that  this  is  a  way  by  which  our  great  Master 
and  Saviour  is  pleased  to  make  Himself  known :  and  it  is  surely 
well  fitted  to  arrest  attention,  and  to  put  all  His  servants  on  the 
solemn  inquiries — '  Why  does  not  my  parish  experience  such  a 
visitation  V  '  Am  I  using  to  the  utmost  those  means  which  are 
enjoined  on  me  for  awakening  among  the  people  an  intelligent 
sense  of  sin  and  of  the  need  of  a  Saviour  ?'  '  Am  I  praying, 
and  studying,  and  preaching,  under  a  lively  sense  of  the  near- 
ness of  judgment  and  eternity,  and  of  my  awful  responsibility  ?'  " 

And  when  he  had  to  mention  one,  who  had  "departed 
out  of  the  world  in  a  state  of  apparent  desire  to  be 
prayed  with  and  talked  to,"  but  leaving  on  his  mind 
"  a  very  painful  impression  of  fear  and  grief,"  he  turned 
the  subject  into  one  for  self-examination : — 

"  Such  deaths  awaken  painful  thoughts  respecting  our  own 
faithfulness.  We  do  not  all  that  we  might  do,  to  warn  and 
rescue  sinners :  and  allowing  that  all  which  we  might  do  must 


1841.]        RELINQUISHES  THE  "MISSIONARY  REGISTER."  371 

be  qualified  by  its  being  consistent  with  other  calls  upon  us, 
yet  how  often  do  we  feel  condemned  by  our  own  consciences  of 
falling  short  of  this  rule  !  Oh  lay  not,  my  God,  the  blood  of 
souls  to  our  charge !  Give  us  tender  but  enlightened  con- 
sciences, that  we  may  feel  aright  and  see  aright,  and  prevailing 
grace  to  follow  this  inward  guide ;  but  let  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  Thy  Son,  cleanse  us  from  all  sin !" 

Among  the  "other  calls"  to  which  he  here  alludes, 
was  the  preparation  of  the  "Missionary  Register," 
which  in  its  monthly  demand  upon  his  time  and 
strength  he  began  to  find,  as  life  advanced,  materially 
interfered  with  the  discharge  of  the  pastoral  duties  of 
his  parish. 

"  It  has  had  its  measure  of  usefulness,  through  the  blessing 
of  God,  in  extending  and  confirming  zeal  for  the  cause  of 
Christ  in  the  world;  but  the  constant  and  anxious  labour 
which  it  has  required,  leaves  a  consciousness  of  defect  in  my 
ministrations  to  souls  which  lies  at  times  as  a  burden  upon  me. 
In  addition  to  the  earnest  desire  which  the  Lord  has  given  me 
to  close  my  days,  whether  they  be  few  or  more,  in  that  personal 
intercourse  with  the  people  which  I  have  not  yet  maintained, 
and  for  which  old  age  has  less  disqualified  me  than  it  has  for 
the  more  exhausting  labours  of  the  pulpit,  the  same  old  age  has 
added  a  reason  of  necessity  for  my  relinquishing  the  '  Missio- 
nary Register.'  The  extent  and  kind  of  reading  and  research 
which  its  accurate  preparation  and  editing  require,  ai'e  become 
too  much  for  my  eyes  and  my  mind." 

He  consequently  took  measures  for  freeing  himself 
from  this  "  hindrance,"  and  during  the  year  184 1  initiated 
a  new  Editor  into  the  art  of  gathering,  selecting,  and 
condensing  materials  for  its  future  publication  ;  and  at 
the  close  of  the  year  resigned  the  whole  responsibility 

hb2 


372  VIEWS  OF  PAST  LIFE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

with  great  satisfaction  into  his  hands,  having  been 
himself  the  original  projector  of  the  work,  and  for 
twenty-nine  years  its  sole  conductor.  Of  this  transfer, 
and  the  consequent  benefit  he  looked  for,  he  thus 
writes  in  February,  1841  : — 

"  With  more  time,  I  trust  and  pray  that  grace  will  be  given 
to  draw  forth  more  and  more  heart  in  the  work  of  the  Lord ; 
for  I  find  that  habits  of  literary  labour,  though  it  be  labour 
connected  with  religion  and  the  cause  of  Christ,  tend  to  damp 
rather  than  to  cherish  the  goings-forth  of  holy  affections  and 
the  exercises  of  a  spiritual  mind.  May  our  gracious  Master 
grant  a  supply  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  every  hour  redeemed 
from  this  course  may  be  employed  in  the  direct  labour  of  obtain- 
ing more  meetness  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light, 
and  of  preparing  those  for  that  inheritance  who  are  committed 
to  our  charge !" 

It  is  most  instructive  to  notice,  what  were  his  own 
views  of  his  character  and  conduct,  after  a  life  so 
energetically  and  perseveringly  devoted  to  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  best  interests  of  man.  He  seems  to 
have  been  entirely  preserved  from  falling  into  the 
snare  of  self-righteous  complacency,  which  Satan 
knows  well  how  to  spread.  His  failings  appeared  to 
himself  far  more  conspicuous  than  his  best  deeds.  He 
writes  to  his  son  in  1841,  in  the  letter  last  quoted : — 

"  The  idea  of  responsibility  comes  over  my  mind  with  power. 
When  we  can  look  back  to  a  time  in  our  past  lives  up  to  which 
we  were,  though  perhaps  with  intervals  of  successful  resistance, 
under  the  power,  more  or  less,  of  wilful  and  allowed  sin,  all 
that  course,  though  we  hope,  through  the  pi'ecious  blood  of 
Christ,  that  it  has  been  forgiven,  yet  must  be  often  recalled  to 
memory,  often  mourned  over,  and  often  laid  and  re-laid  in  acts 


1841.]  PASTORAL  ANXIETIES.  373 

of  lively  and  thankful  faith  on  Him  who  bore  our  sins  in  His 
own  body  on  the  tree,  for  the  fuller  confirmation  to  us  of  our 
forgiveness,  and  for  the  knitting  of  our  hearts  more  firmly  in 
love  to  our  adorable  Saviour.  But  after-life  must  be  looked  at 
under  another  aspect.  The  course  was  then  changed.  The 
evil  was  no  longer  the  allowed  commission  of  sin,  but  the  dis- 
allowed omission  of  duty.  Numbers,  I  believe,  can  look  back 
on  many  years  of  their  lives,  and  thank  God  that  they  have 
been  kept  by  grace  through  faith  from  the  commission  of  any 
deliberate  and  wilful  sin ;  but  as  the  standard  of  perfect  love  to 
God  and  man  is  applied  to  our  state  of  heart  and  life,  and  this 
enforced  by  all  the  love  of  our  Lord  to  us,  oh  who  can  tell  how 
oft  he  ofFendeth !" 

The  affectionate  concern  which  he  felt  for  the  souls 
of  the  flock,  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  had  made 
him  overseer,  is  still  farther  most  touchingly  exhi- 
bited in  a  brief  record  which  he  left  behind  him  of 
several  of  the  pastoral  visits  he  made  during  the  last 
seven  months  of  his  life.  He  appears  to  have  com- 
mitted these  brief  notices  to  writing  to  assist  his  fail- 
ing memory,  and  so  to  enable  himself  to  bring  the 
cases  of  his  parishioners  with  frequency  and  greater 
readiness  before  the  Throne  of  Grace.  "  It  is  a  record 
evidently  made  as  in  the  presence  of  God :  a  diary  of 
pastoral  avocations,  and  of  pastoral  feelings,  in  every 
page  of  which  breathes  the  spirit  of  love."*  Short  as 
the  document  is,  it  serves  to  indicate  the  habit  of 
mind  and  the  spirit  of  prayer  in  which  he  always 
engaged  in  his  ministerial  duties. 


Funeral  Sermon  by  llev.  Jolin  Hardiny. 


374  RECORD  OF  PASTORAL  [Chai'.  XIX. 

One  of  his  visits  draws  forth  the  following  aspira- 
tion :  "  Oh  for  the  tongue  of  the  learned,  to  speak  a 
word  in  season,  fitted  to  awake  every  class  of  my 
parishioners!  and  oh,  still  more  earnestly  would  I 
pray  for  the  life-giving  Spirit  to  accompany  every 
word!"  Again,  at  the  close  of  another  entry:  "All 
saving  power,  O  Lord,  is  from  Thee  !  Let  an  unction 
from  Thee  rest  on  all  that  we  say  to  these  poor  souls !" 

It  gave  him   heartfelt   pleasure   to    make   such   a 

record  as  the  following  :  "  Visited  Mrs. ,  whom 

I  have  frequently  visited  before — apparently  near 
death — peaceful — enlightened — a  believing  hold  of 
Christ,  which  has  sustained  her  through  great  pain 
and  anxiety  for  her  husband A  very  satisfac- 
tory and  encouraging  case.  O  Lord,  let  Thy  grace 
be  thus  displayed  in  multitudes  around  her !"  Of 
another  he  writes  :  "  Concerned  for  his  soul — humble 
— seems  to  rest  on  Christ."  Again  :  "  She  is  ignorant 
— God  of  His  mercy  savingly  enlighten  her !  I 
endeavour,  in  prayer,  to  keep  her  in  view,  but  the 
Holy  Spirit  must  open  her  eyes !"  Of  another  he 
writes,  as  "  a  satisfactory  instance  of  the  triumph  of 
grace  in  death."  Another  "  begins  to  hope  and  long 
for  life,  as  she  avows,  for  the  purpose  of  living  for 
God  and  the  good  of  those  around  her — gave  her 
needful  cautions,  warnings,  and  encouragements." 
Another  he  mentions,  "  in  whose  death  there  was  hope 
that  he  was  penitent  and  believing."  Of  another  he 
records,  "  Slie  has  felt  much  under  the  Word — has 
sought  God,  but  seems  to  be  withheld  from  following 
her  convictions — gave  her  '  The  Sinner's  Friend '  " — (a 


1841—1843.]  VISITS  AND  ANXIETIES.  375 

tract  of  which  he  made  extensive  use) — "  and  pressed 
her  to  receive  Christ."  In  a  strain  of  gratitude  for  a 
favourable  change  which  had  taken  place  in  one 
whom  he  had  long  visited,  he  closes  his  concise 
record  of  it  thus,  "  Glory  be  to  God  our  Saviour !" 

After  his  descriptions  of  the  various  characters  he 
visited,  such  ejaculations  as  these*  again  and  again 
appear :  "  Lord,  save,  or  he  will  perish  !" — "  Lord, 
have  mercy  upon  his  soul !" — "  Lord,  let  Thy  saving 
light  shine  into  his  soul !" 

And  where  the  parties  were  in  a  painfully  discou- 
raging state,  such  entries  as  the  following  are  made  : — 
'^  Poor  man — dark  for  eternity  !  O  Lord,  look  on 
these  precious  souls,  and  quicken  us  to  labour  for 
their  salvation."  In  another  case,  in  which  it  was 
doubted  whether  access  could  be  gained  to  the  person 
concerned,  the  affecting  entry  stands :  "  But  I  must 
try  !  O  Lord,  have  mercy  on  these  neglecters  of  Thine 
ordinances  !"  And  almost  the  very  last  lines  he  wrote 
most  truly  convey  the  tone  of  all  his  allusions  to  the 
souls  entrusted  to  his  care  :  "  The  Lord  have  mercy 
upon  them,  and  enable  us  to  deal  faitlifully  and  closely 
with  them  !  Oh  for  that  mighty  power  on  our  own 
hearts,  and  on  this  people,  which  alone  can  give  suc- 
cess to  the  word !" 

"Being  affectionately  desirous  of"  the  people  com- 
mitted to  his  charge,  he  was,  in  a  measure,  "  willing 
to  have  imparted  to"  them  "not  the  Gospel  of  God 
only,  but"  his  "  own  soul  also  ;  because"  they  '^  were 
dear  unto"  him.  It  was  a  source  of  unfeigned  delight 
to  receive  good  tidings  of  the  welfare    of  those,  to 


376  SIR  FOWELL  BUXTON.  [Chai-.  XIX. 

whom  he  had  been  called  to  minister.  He  liad  no 
greater  joy  than  to  hear,  that  his  spiritual  children 
walked  in  the  truth.  He  writes  in  1842  to  a  relative, 
of  one  to  whom  allusion  has  been  made  in  a  former 
Chapter,  and  who  was  now  brought  down  to  a  bed  of 
sickness  by  his  indefatigable  exertions  in  behalf  of 
Africa : — 

"  I  exchanged  a  few  words  at  Mr.  Foster's  with  Sir  Fowell 
Buxton,  as  he  lay  stretched  upon  his  bed ;  and  should  have 
gladly  spent  some  time  with  him  could  it  have  been  allowed. 
God  our  Saviour  be  praised  for  the  support  which  He  grants 
to  His  servant  in  this  trying  hour."  *  *  *  *  "It  greaUy 
rejoices  and  strengthens  us,  in  the  discouragements  of  our 
ministry,  from  conscious  failings  and  unprofitableness,  to  wit- 
ness instances  in  which  it  pleases  our  Heavenly  Master  to 
shew  us  that  He  is  pleased,  by  His  feeble  servants,  to  bring 
precious  souls  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Saviour,  and  to  build 
them  up  and  preserve  them  to  His  everlasting  kingdom." 
"  Oh  !  remember,  my  dear  friend,"  he  continues,  "  in  your 
habitual  prayers  the  Ministers  and  Missionaries  of  Christ  of 
every  name  in  every  nation,  and  especially  the  Ministers  of  our 
own  Church,  among  whom,  as  you  know,  a  plague  of  subtle 
and  plausible  but  ruinous  error  has  broken  forth." 

Against  this  "  mischievous  system"  he  never  failed 
to  warn  his  flock.  To  one  who  had  gained  benefit 
from  his  ministry,  but  was  removing  from  London 
to  take  up  his  residence  in  Kent,  he  writes  in  Sept. 
1842,  throwing  out  the  following  caution  upon  this 
subject : — 

"It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  find,  that  the  lines  have 
fallen  to  you  in  such   pleasant  places.     You  may   truly   say, 

*  I  have  a  goodly  heritage.'     Mr.  P may  be  leaned  upon 

as  one  well  imbued   with  the   discriminating  knowledge  and 


1S4'2.]  TRACTARIANISM. 


377 


spiritual  savour  of  the  Gospel.  Vou  will  hear,  as  I  believe, 
nothing  from  him  of  that  'other  gospel'  which  the  great 
Deceiver  is  labouring  to  palm,  as  he  did  on  the  Churches  of 
Galatia,  on  the  undisccrning  and  self-righteous.  Make  these 
two  things,  dear  sir,  your  touchstone  of  truth  to  guide  you 
through  the  mysticisms  and  elaborate  sophisms  which  are 
broached  in  Tractarian  publications  :  — the  supreme,  absolute, 
exclusive  authority,  as  the  rule  of  doctrine  and  practice,  of  the 
Inspired  Word;  and  ihe  salvation  revealed  in  that  Word,  which 
is  restoration  to  the  favour  of  God  by  faith  in  the  atonement 
and  righteousness  of  Christ,  wrought  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  the  spiritual  regeneration  and  continued  renewals 
of  the  soul,  by  the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  in  the  diligent  use  of 
all  appointed  means.  I  have  said,  let  these  two  principles 
guide  you  through  the  mists  of  Tractarian  publications,  that  is, 
whenever  such  fall  in  your  way;  for,  so  far  am  I  from  recom- 
mending them  to  your  attention,  that  I  beseech  you  to  read  with 
great  reserve  and  caution  every  thing  which  issues  from  the 
shop*  of  these  men.  ♦  *  *  The  Evangelical  School,  of  all 
times,  acquires  an  additional  value  from  its  entire  freedom  from 
the  follies  and  errors  peculiar  to  the  Tractarian,  and  from  its 
furnishing  the  one  true  and  efficacious  antidote  and  remedy 
against  them.  The  stamp  of  the  Religious-Tract  Society  is, 
in  this  point  of  view,  of  great  value. 

"  I  have  been  led  unawares  to  this  length,  for  the  subject 
lies  much  on  my  mind.  A  spirit  of  judicial  infatuation  seems 
to  have  been  sent  on  a  large  portion  of  the  clergy  and  laity  of 
our  Church.  The  argument  against  the  Tractarian  notions  is 
unanswerable.  It  is  neglected,  or  misrepresented,  or  ridiculed, 
or  in  any  other  way  got  rid  of;  but  it  is  not  answered  and 
refuted.  And  in  the  meanwhile,  the  majority  of  the  rulers  of 
the  Church  hold  back  from  its  bold  and  just  defence.     Some, 

*  Alluding  to  the  bookseller  of  the  Party,  who  has  since  seceded  to 
Home. 


378  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

indeed,  have  done  nobly ;  among  whom  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta 
stands  one  of  the  foremost." 

The  following  letter  was  addressed  to  the  widow  of 
a  gentleman  to  whom  his  ministry  had  been  especially 
blessed :  it  was  written  only  eight  months  before  he 
himself  joined  the  blessed  company  above : — 

"  '  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away ;  blessed 
be  the  name  of  the  Lord  ! '  This,  I  know,  is  the  language  of 
your  faith  and  o{  your  judgment,  under  your  present  bitter  and 
sudden  bereavement.  Our  gracious  Father  is  not  displeased 
to  see  the  tears  of  His  children.  'Jesus  wept'  before  His 
Father ;  and  the  Father  will  not  disapprove  of  that  in  His  frail 
servants  which  He  saw  in  the  only-begotten  Son  in  whom  He 
was  always  well  pleased.  Only  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  dwelt  without  measure  in  our  Head,  let  us  His 
members  seek  in  all  things  to  be  made  like  unto  Him.  Were 
you  called,  my  dear  friend,  to  commit  your  beloved  husband's 
remains  to  the  grave  in  the  exercise  of  a  doubtful  and  uncertain 
hope  respecting  the  state  of  his  soul,  how  great  would  be  the 
trial  of  your  submission  to  God  !  But,  blessed  be  God !  you 
are  spared  tliat  trial ;  and  can  confidenUy  '  commit  his  body 
to  the  ground,  in  sure  and  certain  hope  of  his  resurrection  to 
eternal  life,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  It  will  be  grateful 
to  hear  that  it  pleased  God  to  grant  you  the  favour,  under  the 
violence  and  suddenness  of  the  attack,  to  obtain,  if  but  a  tran- 
sient recognition  from  his  mind,  that  he  was  resting  on  the 
bosom  of  his  Lord.  If,  however,  this  were  not  granted,  the 
very  wanderings  of  his  unconscious  spirit  shewed  whither  it 
was  hasting  away.  And  there,  though  '  we  know  no  man  after 
the  flesh,'  yet  heaven  itself  may  be  endeared  to  you  by  the 
thought,  that  it  has  received  one  to  its  holy  mansions  who 
was  to  you  a  loving  associate  and  helper  through  many  years 
of  your  earthly  pilgrimage,  and  who  is  for  ever  escaped  from 
the  sins  and  miseries  of  this  evil  world.     We  rejoice  and  thank 


1844]  CORRESPONDENCE.  379 

our  gracious  Saviour  on  behalf  of  your  dear  husband.  We 
have  felt,  as  called  to  minister  to  him  the  Word  of  God,  greatly 
encouraged  and  strengthened  by  his  diligent  attendance  on 
Divine  Ordinances.  There  I  last  saw  him,  and  took  leave  of 
him  ;  but  with  no  anticipation  that  he  would,  ere  our  next  com- 
munion, be  called  to  drink  the  new  wine  in  our  Father's  kingdom. 
May  the  same  sovereign  grace  and  mercy  which  called  and 
trained  him  to  sit  down  at  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb 
prepare  us  all  to  join  with  him  in  the  Song  of  the  Redeemed 
for  ever  and  ever ! 

"  Serious  indisposition  has  kept  me  at  home,  or  I  should 
have  before  this  called  to  sympathize  with  you ;  and  to  assist 
you,  if  it  should  please  God,  to  lean  with  sure  confidence  and 
hope  on  His  gracious  arm.  Your  dear  husband's  personal 
example  and  prayers  and  support  are  withdrawn ;  but  his 
'faith  follow,  considering  the  end  of  his  conversation,'  his 
escape  from  the  defilements  and  troubles  of  this  sinful  world, 
and  that  *  Jesus  Christ'  is  to  you  as  He  was  to  him,  '  the  same 
yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever !' 

'  The  same  1 1  is  power  His  flock  to  guard, 
The  same  His  bounty  to  reward; 
The  same  His  faithfulness  and  love, 
To  saints  on  earth,  and  saints  above.' 

"  *  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of 
God,  and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  be  now  and  ever 
with  you ;  and  convey  into  your  heart  large  measures  of  holy 
consolation,  in  a  thankful  and  patient  conformity  to  all  the 
will  of  God!  Our  spiritual  enemies  must  be  subdued,  our 
corruptions  mortified,  and  grace  made  triumphant  in  our  souls  ; 
and  though  the  course  is  painful,  the  faithfulness  and  loving- 
kindness  of  our  God  and  Saviour  will  grant  such  measures  of 
His  Spirit's  grace  and  consolations  as  will  carry  through,  even 
to  the  end,  all  who  humbly  trust  Him.  We  have  just  witnessed 
a  remarkable  instance  of  His  grace  and  mercy,  in  supporting, 


330  MR.  PRATT  IN  HIS  FAMILY.  [Chap.  XIX. 

through  a  course  ofahiiost  unheard  of  trials,  that  great  sufferer, 
Mary  Wilson,*  who  died  on  Friday,  in  the  Lord. 

"  Let  us  look  forward,  my  dear  friend,  to  the  mercy  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  etei'nal  life,  for  our  own  souls ;  and 
pray  for  a  quickening  influence,  through  the  godly  lives  and 
deaths  of  others,  on  the  souls  of  all  around. 
"  I  am  ever, 
"  Your  affectionate  friend  and  minister  in  the  Lord, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 

Various  have  been  the  testimonies  that  his  ministry 
was  blessed  to  the  conversion  and  edification  of  souls. 
The  following  instance  is  selected  from  many  letters 
of  condolence  which  his  family  received  upon  the 
occasion  of  his  death : — 

"  For  many  years  we  had  the  privilege  of  attending  liis 
ministry,  and  through  all  eternity  both  myself,  my  husband, 
and  my  elder  children  will  have  to  praise  and  bless  God  for 
the  great  privilege.  As  j^arents,  we  were  much  indebted  to 
him  for  those  sound  and  scriptural  instructions  which  were 
accompanied  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  our  dear  young  people.  I  doubt  not  you  will  have 
many  such  testimonies  to  the  usefulness  of  your  revered  father, 
leading  you  to  magnify  the  grace  of  God,  and  silencing 
every  rising  sorrow  that  his  work  is  done." 

But  it  was  in  his  family  that  Mr.  Pratt's  value  was 
peculiarly  felt  as  age  advanced.  He  was  sensitively 
alive  to  all  their  concerns,  and  deeply  sympathized 


*  This  was  a  young  woman  in  St.  Stephen's  parish,  who  was  calh.d  by 
grace  from  a  life  of  sin  and  folly  to  a  life  of  godliness  in  a  most  remarkable 
manner,  and  died,  after  an  exemplary  Christian  course  of  six  years 
amidst  trials  and  sufferings,  a  briglit  ornament  to  the  Gospel,  anda  raonu- 
irient  of  the  sovereign  grace  of  God. 


1838.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  38 1 

in  their  joys  and  sorrows.  And  his  afTectionate  in- 
terest in  their  welfare  increased,  as  the  time  manifestly 
drew  nearer  when  he  must  leave  them  to  continue 
that  warfare,  from  which  he  was  soon  to  receive  so 
honourable  a  discharge.  They,  on  the  other  hand, 
regarded  him  still  as  a  tower  of  strength :  they  knew 
that  he  was  constant  and  fervent  in  his  intercessions 
for  them  individually ;  and  they  derived  the  greatest 
comfort  from  this  thought,  though  removed,  some  of 
them,  to  the  very  ends  of  the  earth.  His  counsels  also 
w^ere  still  sought  and  much  relied  on ;  for  though  his 
mind  was  become  slower  in  its  operations,  its  judgment 
of  things  appeared  as  distinct  and  sound  as  ever. 
Nay,  he  would  make  practical  efforts  and  take  much 
trouble  sometimes  to  promote  their  welfare ;  and 
W'ould  sometimes  say  pleasantly,  that  he  was  living 
life  over  again  in  his  children.  And  most  truly  it  was 
so.  His  correspondence  with  those  who  were  absent 
cost  him  often  much  time  and  thought,  and  some 
specimens  shall  be  given. 

In  September,  1838,  his  younger  son,  John  Henry, 
Fellow  of  Caius  College,  Cambridge,  left  England  for 
India,  to  become  Domestic  Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of 
Calcutta.  The  feeling  which  this  separation  occa- 
sioned in  his  affectionate  heart  may  be  traced  in  the 
following  extract  from  a  letter  to  his  Lordship  : — 

"  June  8, 1839. 

"  Since  I  have  withdrawn  from  active  Uibours  at  the  Church 

Missionary    House,    though    my    time    is    much    occupied   in 

registering  the  labours  and  trials  and  success  of  the  servants  and 

soldiers  of  our  Lord  throughout  the  world,  yet  I  have  felt  as 


3S2  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

though  it  might  be  said  to  me  in  my  old  age,  *  What  do  ye  more 
than  others  ?  It  is  easy  to  talk  and  write  about  the  Kingdom 
of  Christ;  what  sacrifices  have  you  ever  made  for  it?'  But 
now,  though  I  cannot  say  with  good  old  Mrs.  Gates,  when  she 
was  asked,  on  seeking  admission  at  one  of  our  close-packed 
Meetings  at  Freemasons' Hall,  'Are  you  a  Subscriber?'  she 
said,  *  No  ;'  but,  bethinking  herself,  turned  back,  *  Yes  !  I  am 
a  Subscriber :  I  have  given  an  only  son  ;' — yet  I  have  given  a 
S071,  one  whom  I  probably  shall  not  again  see  in  this  world. 
There  are  certainly  feelings  peculiar  to  the  Christian  in  these 
separations.  Love  to  Christ  and  to  the  souls  of  men  ought  to 
be  in  him  a  more  powerful  and  constraining  motive,  than  the 
necessities  or  the  hope  of  honour  and  wealth  which  chiefly 
move  the  worldly  man  to  make  these  sacrifices  are  to  him.  Yet 
these  low  motives  work  with  nature,  but  the  godly  wars  against 
nature :  he  cannot  act  on  these  low  motives  :  they  are  of  the 
very  nature  of  the  fallen  man,  and  silence  the  claims  of  kindred 
and  home  far  more  quickly  and  effectually  than  the  too-often 
weak  faith  and  divided  love  of  the  Christian.  Besides  that  the 
Christian  has  a  circle  of  kindred  spirits  and  a  course  of  active 
and  holy  habits  to  break  away  from,  which  are  endeared  to 
him  far  beyond  any  endearment  which  an  unrenewed  mind  can 
conceive.  The  zeal  of  the  worldling  in  his  little  pursuits  may 
well  reproach  the  weakness  of  our  faith  and  love ;  but  he  is  not 
in  a  capacity  to  make  or  to  judge  of  the  sacrifices  which  the 
Christian  makes  in  these  separations.  In  this  sense,  also,  '  He 
that  is  spiritual  judgeth  all  things,  yet  he  himself  is  judged  of 
no  man.'  All  this,  my  dear  friend,  has  been  long  familiar  to 
your  thoughts,  but  is  newer  to  mine." 

A  few  years  after  this,  Mr.  Pratt  was  called  to  a 
severe  trial  in  the  departure  to  New  Zealand  with  a 
young  family,  of  his  fourth  daughter,  Marianne,  who 
in  January,  1838,  had  married  Sampson,  son  of  the 
late  Rev.  John  Kempthorne,  Rector  of  St.  Michael's, 


1842.]  LETTER  TO  HIS  DAUGHTER.  383 

Gloucester.  In  prospect  of  this  painful  separation 
he  writes  to  his  son  in  India  more  than  a  year  before 
the  event : — 

"  We  are  called,  in  our  old  age,  practically  to  loosen  our  hold 
on  the  dearest  objects  of  our  creature  affections,  and  hold  you 
all  in  and  under  our  Covenant  God.  We  have  often,  and  do 
continually,  commit  you  all  to  Him;  and  have  endeavoured  to 
bring  you  up  for  Him :  and  thanks,  everlasting  thanks,  be  to 
Him — Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost — that  we  can  rejoice  over 
you  all  as  children  of  the  Covenant.  Receiving,  then,  from 
Him  the  greatest  blessing  which  He  can  bestow,  next  to  our 
own  salvation,  shall  we  not  cheerfully  yield  you  to  His  will  as 
to  the  years  of  your  sojourning  on  earth ;  only  praying,  as  we 
do  earnestly,  that  He  would  cause  all  things  which  shall  befal 
you  all  to  work  together  for  your  good  ? " 

Just  before  her  departure,  he  put  into  his  daughter's 
hands  the  following  letter : — 

"  London,  May  SO,  1842. 
"  So  long  as  we  are  on  earth  we  shall  not  cease  to  bear  you, 
and  your  husband,  and  your  chiUlren,  into  the  presence  of  our 
Heavenly  Father.  Day  by  day  your  mother  and  I  hope  in 
faith  to  meet  you  at  His  throne,  in  the  name  of  our  great 
Mediator,  and  under  the  precious  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
We  shall,  I  trust,  be  often  visitors  there.  Teach  your  children, 
as  years  open  upon  them,  to  hold  communion  with  us  at  the 
Throne  of  Grace.  It  is  not  long,  indeed,  that  we  shall  continue 
here,  nor  is  it  likely  that  we  shall  meet  again  in  this  world  : 
may  it  please  our  God,  therefore,  to  render  our  present  separa- 
tion a  real  help  to  us  all  in  our  passage  toward  eternity. 
*  I  die  daily.'  You  have  the  greater  part  of  that  course  to 
run  over  which  we  have  passed ;  and  we  confirm  you,  by  our 
long  experience  in  those  lessons  of  heavenly  wisdom  which 
you  have  been  taught.     Oh,  how  do  we  bless  our  God  for  His 


384  LETTER  TO  HIS  DAUGIITEU.  [Chap.  XIX. 

abundant  mercy,  that  you  are  carrying  witli  you  to  New- 
Zealand,  by  the  gift  of  God,  that  faith,  by  which  you  can  '  come 
boldly  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  that  you  may  obtain  mercy, 
and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.'  A  few  years'  toil  and 
conflict,  and  gracious  support  and  consolation,  and  all  shall  be 
over  !     Oh  let  us  be  faithful  unto  death  ! 

"  There  are,  perhaps,  many  and  various  scenes  opening 
before  you ;  habits  of  life  to  which  you  have  not  been  accus- 
tomed :  these  will,  after  a  time,  become  familiarized,  and  you 
will  so  far  modify  the  manners  of  your  native  land  that  you 
will  make  youi'selves  happy  in  the  will  of  God.  We  need  not 
warn  you  against  forgetting  us.  Softening  times  will  come 
across  you,  when  the  full  tide  of  recollection  will  flow  in  upon 
you.  Let  such  seasons  be  indulged,  for  the  cherishing  of 
affection,  and  for  the  cultivation  of  holy  communion  before 
the  Throne  of  God. 

"  The  training  of  your  children  will  call  for  the  exercise  of 
wisdom,  in  firmness  and  tenderness,  every  day — '  gentle,  even  as 
a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children  ...  as  ye  know  how  we  exhorted 
and  comforted  and  charged  every  one  of  you,  as  a  father  doth 
his  children,'  1  Thess.  ii.  7.  11.  You  have  seen  these  privileges 
acted  on  in  your  ow^n  families.  We  praise  our  God  for  giving 
us  grace  to  consider  the  children  of  both  as  loans  lent  to  us  of 
the  Lord,  that  w'e  might  fulfil  towards  them .  our  stewardship, 
and  train  them  for  the  Church  on  earth,  that  they  may  pass  to 
the  '  general  assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born  in  heaven.' 
How  greatly  God  has  blessed  our  endeavours,  you  are  both 
witness.  I  would  fain,  however,  urge  all  the  children  of  both 
families  to  rise  higher  and  higher  toward  heaven,  as  time  is 
carrying  us  fast  on  to  the  eternal  world.  I  earnestly  entreat 
you  to  subdue  the  wills  of  your  children  most  tenderly  if  you 
can  ;  but  if  not,  your  duty  and  your  love  require  measures 
which  shall  enforce  compliance.  Commit  yourselves  as  little 
as  may  be  into  a  contest  with  your  children  ;  but,  having  once 
done  this,  you  must  maintain  the  contest  till  the  child  yields. 


1842.]  LETTER  TO  HIS  DAUGHTER.  385 

Every  such  victory  will  make  the  next  easier,  and,  in  all  like- 
lihood, will  deter  the  child  from  entering  on  another  contest. 
And  you  must  make  thorough  work  of  it,  if  you  would  bless 
the  child  :  the  guile  of  the  heart  is  seen  in  combination  with  its 
self-will,  in  trying  to  evade  your  authority.  A  very  young  child 
puts  forth  perhaps  his  first  approaches  to  sin  in  acts  of  cunning 
and  rebellion.  Rely  with  unshaken  confidence  on  that  Divine 
maxim,  '  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when 
he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it.' 

"  I  have  an  humble  hope  that  our  gracious  God  will  guard 
you  in  His  providence,  and  will  carry  you  to  your  desired 
haven.  Hearty  friends  to  the  thorough  christianizing  of  the 
natives,  I  doubt  not  but  you  will  be  ;  and  meek,  but  stern 
repressors,  so  far  as  God  may  give  you  power,  of  that  '  wicked 
one.'  Our  Church  has  been  under  the  influence  of  a  Nicene 
Mania  ever  since  these  '  conspirators,'  as  they  have  nicknamed 
themselves,  began  to  infect  the  Church.  The  truth  is,  that  no 
men,  in  any  age  of  the  Church  from  the  moment  St.  John 
breathed  out  his  holy  soul,  have  been  entitled  to  implicit  con- 
fidence. Men  were  breaking  out,  indeed,  on  all  sides,  even 
during  the  lives  of  the  inspired  Apostles  ;  and  the  philosophy, 
which  the  Apostle  reprobates  to  the  Colossians,  had  deeply 
infected  the  Church,  so  that  nothing  whatever  must  be  brought 
from  uninspired  stores,  without  first  subjecting  it  to  the  strict 
test  of  Scripture.  In  the  Nicene  age,  of  the  second  and  third 
centuries,  great  men  had  come  to  hold  flagrant  superstitions 
and  errors,  together  with  orthodox  and  evangelical  truth.  All 
this  wants  thorough  cleansing :  but  this  is  the  very  channel  by 
which  the 'conspirators' have  brought  in  their  poison.  Keep 
yourselves  jiure,  dear  Sampson  and  Marianne  !  Regenerated 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  spiritual  regeneration,  of  which  Baptism 
is  only  the  figure  and  pledge— cleansed  from  the  guilt  of  all 
sins,  whenever,  by  faith  of  the  Spirit's  operation,  we  wash  them 
away  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb— clothed  in  the  garment  of 
Christ's  righteousness  whenever  faith  draws  on  that  Heavenly 

C  c 


386 


LETTER  TO  HIS  DAUGHTER.  [Chap.  XIX. 


clothing — and  sanctified  by  growth  in  the  graces  and  fruits  of 
the  Spirit,  we  trust  and  pray  that  you  will  hold  on  your  way. 
It  will  be  seen,  I  doubt  not,  by  the  gracious  support  of  the 
Saviour,  that  you  will  not  be  left  to  yourselves.  Let  your  bow 
abide  in  strength.  Closet  duties  statedly  fixed  and  religiously 
observed  must  be  your  main  stay  under  God.  *  In  Christ,'' 
may  you  both  know  the  blessedness  of  that  state,  living  and 
dying  in  the  favour  and  image  of  the  Lord ! 

"  In  what  manner,  and  to   what  extent,  it  may  please  our 
gracious  Master  to  employ  you  in  New  Zealand  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  His  kingdom,  we  humbly  commit  to  Him.     Go 
in   faith,  since  the  providence  of  God  calls  you  forth.     Lay 
hold  on  the  promises  of  the  Covenant.     Place  yourselves,  and 
your  children,  and  your  faithful  servant,  under  your  God  and 
Father,    your    Saviour   and    Redeemer,    your   Comforter   and 
Sanctifier.     It  is  mercy  and  condescension  on  the  part  of  our 
God  to  give  you  work  in  His  vineyard.     I  am  very  earnest 
that  my  children,  and  my  children's  children,  should  put  forth, 
to  their  utmost  power,  that  great  work  of  making  Christ  known 
to  the  ruined  world,  in  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  engage  us 
so   many  years.     We  have  not  dealt  with  that  cause  as  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  value  of  souls  demand.     May  the  Saviour 
whom  we  proclaim  to  sinners,  cleanse  away  the  guilt  of  all  our 
want  of  zeal  and  love  !     Oh  let  us  live  nearer  to  God !     Let 
us  seek  to  realize  more  in  our  own  experience  that  declaration, 
'  Whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love ;  in  whom,  though  now  ye 
see  Him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  inispeakable 
and  full   of  glory.'     Here  will  be   the  remedy  of  daily  and 
hourly  care. 

"  '  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God, 
and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with  you  all,  Amen  !' 

"  JosiAH  Pratt. 
"  Elizabeth  Pratt." 

He    followed    this   branch    of  his    family    with    a 


1842]  CORRESPONDENCE.  387 

series  of  letters,  lull  of  sage  counsel  and  fatherly 
affection  and  consolation :  a  few  extracts  from  them 
are  subjoined : — 

"  London,  Oct.  G,  1842. 
"my  dear  SAMPSON   AND  MARIANNE — 

"  Truly  we  have  passed  through  a  period,  for  these  last  few 
months,  of  a  kind  different  in  degree  from  any  which  we  have 
before  known  in  our  married  life  of  forty-five  years.  Our 
entire  uncertainty  respecting  the  well-being,  and  even  the  con- 
tinuance in  life,  of  persons  so  dear  to  us,  and  the  probabihty 
that  we  shall  have  to  pass  through  another  period  as  long 
before  our  anxieties  will  be  removed,  do  force  upon  us  the  deep 
conviction  that  '  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come.' 
Reduced  to  absolute  dependence  on  the  will  of  God,  we  find 
our  comfort  inseparable  from  our  duty.  Our  refuge,  under 
every  thought  of  anxiety  and  care,  is  the  bosom  of  our  Heavenly 
Father.  At  His  throne,  in  the  name  of  our  great  Intercessor, 
we  often  meet  you  in  prayer,  for  the  guidance  and  support  of 
His  providence  and  spirit.  It  is  a  comfort  and  stay  to  us,  to 
think,  that,  from  such  various  and  distant  parts  of  the  world, 
members  of  our  families  are  daily  presenting  one  another  in 
earnest  intercessions  before  the  Throne.  May  the  great  Inter- 
cessor appear  there  for  us !  Be  this  our  rejoicing,  that  '  He 
is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by 
Him,  seeins  He  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them,'  " 

"  London,  April  29,  1843. 
"my  dear  SAMPSON  AND  MARIANNE — 

"  On  occasion  of  our  first  monthly  letter  to  you  after  our 
receipt  of  the  welcome  tidings  of  your  arrival,  I  cannot  but  add 
my  note  of  praise  to  the  general  concert  of  thanksgiving  to  our 
gracious  God,  for  all  the  multiplied  mercies  vouchsafed  to  you, 
and  to  us  through  you. 

"  A  variety  of  intelligence  will  meet  you  by  this  channel.    The 

c  c  2 


388  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

last,  just  arrived,  is  painful  to  our  feelings,  but  joyful  to  our 
faith.  My  dear  sister  Simcox,  who  ascended  yesterday  to  her 
rest,  has  travelled  a  long  space  ahead  of  me  for  a  long  series 
of  years.  Her  anxious  spirit,  alive  to  the  interests  and  comforts 
of  those  about  her,  and  surviving  all  her  children  except 
Charlotte,  has  fallen  into  her  Saviour's  arms.  She  died  yester- 
day in  her  77th  year.  Soon  will  my  turn  come,  and  your 
dear  mother's.  Pray  for  us  both,  as  we  do  for  you  and  the 
dear  children.  May  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  cleanse  us 
all  from  the  guilt  of  our  sins,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  make  us 
meet  to  be  partakers  with  the  saints  in  light!  Accept  my 
hearty  love,  and  assure  yourselves  of  my  constant  and  earnest 

prayers,  who  am  ever 

"  Your  affectionate  Father, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 
"  London,  May  1,  1844. 

"  MY  DEAR  SAMPSON  AND  MARIANNE 

"  Your  mother  has  pi-ovided  you  with  a  rich  stock  of  news, 
which  will  be  very  acceptable  to  you,  though  it  tells  the  usual 
tale  respecting  this  changing  world.  We  are  partakers,  in  our 
own  persons,  or  in  our  friends,  of  the  sorrows  which  chequer 
human  joys,  but  these  very  sorrows  are  needful  and  good 
for  us. 

"I  have  not  yet  attended  any  Sermon  or  Meeting  of  this 
season,  except  the  Bishop  of  London's  Sermon.  I  can  manage 
to  get  on  pretty  well,  while  quiet  and  unexcited :  otherwise 
I  feel  disposed  to  fiilter.  Pray  for  us  both,  as  we  do  for  you 
and  all  the  dear  children,  now  inclusive  of  my  little  namesake. 
God,  our  Covenant  God,  bless  him,  and  bless  them  all,  and 
their  nine  cousins  ;  and  may  it  graciously  appear  that  He  has 
made  them  all  subjects  of  that  quickening  grace,  w-hich,  and 
which  alone,  is  the  commencement  of  eternal  life !  Let  us 
steadily  cleave  to  the  doctrines  of  Grace  in  all  their  reformation 
and  Protestant   energy  and    simplicity.     These  are  they   by 


1840.]  DOMESTIC  TRIALS.  389 

which  we  may  Uve  in  hoUness,  usefulness,  and  comfort,  and  by 
which  we  may  die  in  peace  and  joy. 

"  BeUeve  nie  ever,  dear  Sampson  and  Marianne, 

"  Most  affectionately,  your  Father, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 

During  the  interval  between  the  departure  of  his 
son  for  India  and  of  his  daughter  for  New  Zealand, 
severe  sickness  visited  ,the  several  branches  of  his 
family.  "I  had  felt  for  some  time,"  he  writes  in 
January  1840,  "  that  God  had  dealt  out  to  us  a  pleasant 
lot ;  but  He  is  now  shewing  us  how  soon  clouds  may 
gather."  Dangerous  sickness  had  visited  ^the  family 
of  his  eldest  daughter,  and  had  threatened  the  life  of 
his  eldest  grandson.  And  now  the  mother  herself 
was  smitten  down  by  severe  illness,  compelled  to 
leave  home  for  the  benefit  of  a  milder  climate  during 
the  winter  months,  and  separated  by  many  miles  from 
her  husband,  whom  imperative  duty  kept  at  his  post. 
In  February  death  visited  the  family  of  his  eldest  son, 
and  removed,  after  a  brief  illness,  the  grandchild  w  ho 
bore  his  own  name.  But  God  so  mingled  His  dispen- 
sations, that  on  the  very  day  that  He  called  back  to 
Himself  this  precious  gift.  He  added  another,  in  a  third 
branch,  by  the  addition  of  a  son  to  the  family  of  his 
youngest  daughter.  "  What  an  extraordinary  day  has 
this  been!"  he  writes;  " we  truly  rejoice  in  tears!" 
And  amidst  the  conflict  which  arose  in  his  breast 
between  grief  and  thanksgiving,  he  adds  : — 

"  We  receive  this  new  charge  with  some  trembling.  Yet 
our  duty  is  not  modified  nor  dependent  on  the  holy  will  of  our 
God  concerning  the  length  or  shortness  of  their  lives.  If  He 
take  them  out  of  our  hands  before  they  become  fit  subjects  of 


390  DOMESTIC  TRIALS.  [Chav.  XIX. 

our  instrumentality  as  to  spiritual  things,  it  is  to  exalt  them  in 
the  scale  of  light,  and  holiness,  and  love :  and  if  He  continue 
them  under  our  care  till  the  mind  is  instructed  and  the  soul 
responsible,  it  is  His  grace  alone  which  can  prevent  our 
instructions  from  aggravating  their  guilt  by  being  neglected, 
and  can  make  them  efficacious  for  their  spiritual  and  ever- 
lasting good."  *  *  •  *  "I  was  remarking  but  a  little  while 
ago  to  your  mother,"  he  writes  to  his  son,  "  that  our  family  had 
been  spared  any  serious  affliction  for  some  years.  God  would 
not  have  sent  this  chastening  if  we  had  not  needed  it.  May 
the  Holy  Spirit  so  sanctify  it  to  us,  and  so  lead  us  to  the 
throne  of  a  reconciled  Father,  through  the  merits  and  interces- 
sion of  our  adorable  Saviour,  that  we  may  all  find  in  this  sanc- 
tified trouble  an  evidence  of  our  adoption  into  the  family  of 
God,  and  that  the  Lord  chastens  us  because  we  are  sons." 

In  the  summer  of  the  same  year  illness  visited  his 
own  immediate  household.  And  although  it  pleased 
God  at  length  to  restore  health,  the  season  was  spent 
not  without  some  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  two  of  its 
members.  These  were  renewed  trials  ;  but  he  received 
the  Divine  chastisements  in  the  lowly  spirit  of  the 
experienced  Christian,  who  waited  for  "  the  peaceable 
fruits  of  righteousness "  granted  "  to  them  who  are 
exercised  thereby." 

"  These  are  new  circumstances  for  us,"  he  writes  at  this 
time.  "  May  He  who  has  brought  us  into  them  make  them 
truly  profitable  to  us  all !  These  visitations  are  those 
wrenchings  which,  when  sanctified,  are  needful  to  loosen  us 
from  the  earth  to  which  we  cling  with  such  tenacity." 

From  the  various  letters  of  spiritual  advice  and 
consolation  which  he  wrote  under  these  afflicting 
circumstances,  the  following  extracts  from  those 
addressed  to  his  eldest  daughter  are  selected  : — 


1840.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  391 

"  I  take  the  first  opportunity,  after  the  hurry  of  the  January 
'  Register,'  to  hold  some  conversation  with  you.  In  the  same 
sense,  though  not  with  equal  faith  and  love,  I  may  say  to  you 
what  St.  Paul  says  to  Timothy,  *  Without  ceasing,  I  have 
remembrance  of  thee  in  my  prayers  night  and  day.'  No  day 
passes  without  the  presenting  of  you  all,  name  by  name, 
before  our  Covenant  God ;  and  tjieij  have  special  remembrance 
on  whom  the  chastening  hand  of  the  Lord  abides.  Our 
strokes  from  that  Fatherly  Hand  have  been  few  and  light, 
compared  with  the  heavy  trials  which,  like  wave  upon  wave, 
have  come  one  after  another  upon  others.  For  this  we  have 
great  cause  of  thankfulness,  provided  freedom  from  trials  has 
not  weakened  our  hold  on  Christ  and  our  separation  from  the 
world.  They  would  never  be  sent  if  not  needed  ;  and,  while 
faith  is  in  exercise,  we  shall  think  and  pray  in  the  spirit  of  St. 
Paul,  '  If  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead ;'  even  though  a  preparation  and  meetness  of  soul  for 
a  participation  in  the  glorious  resurrection  of  the  saints  be  to 
be  attained  only  by  having  'fellowship'  with  Christ  in  'His 
sufferings,'  and  being  '  made  conformable  to  His  death.'  But 
we  are  to  be  enabled  for  this  by  that  'power'  which  He  put 
forth  in  His  own  'resurrection.'  To  be  'found  in  Him'  for 
acceptance,  and  to  'know  Him'  in  His  sanctifying  and  com- 
forting Spirit,  these  were  the  Apostle's  joy,  and  they  may  be 
ours.  God,  of  His  free  mercy  and  grace,  grant  you  assurance 
of  a  believing  interest  in  Christ,  and  power  to  leave  all  creature 
ties  in  His  hand! 

"  After  all  our  knowledge  and  experience,  and  the  deep  con- 
victions  of  our  minds  that  our  dearest  earthly  blessings  must 
be  held  with  a  hand  always  ready  to  let  them  go  when  called 
for,  when  the  time  for  parting  seems  to  come  we  feel  as  though 
some  new  and  unheard  of  event  was  befalling  us.  The  lesson 
which  we  supposed  that  we  had  learnt  is  brought  to  the  test, 
and  we  find  that  it  is  in  and  under  trouble  that  we  make  pro- 
gress in  actual  submission  and  conformity  of  heart  to  the  will 


392  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

of  the  Lord.  These  trials,  therefore,  are  sacred  ordinances,  in 
M-hich  the  design  of  our  Heavenly  Father  is  '  to  make  us  par- 
takers of  His  holiness.'  *  He  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh,' 
St.  Peter  says,  '  hath  ceased  from  sin  : '  he  who,  while  in  the 
body,  endures  his  trials  in  the  spirit  in  which,  as  a  Christian, 
it  becomes  him,  finds  them  sanctified  to  the  mortification  of 
sin.  It  rejoices  our  hearts,  my  dear  Caroline,  that  God  hath 
heard  our  prayers  for  you  and  your  beloved  child.  May 
Arthur  be  restored  to  full  strength  again,  and  give  proof  that 
God  is  with  him  !  I  wrote  a  few  line.s  to  him,  hoping  that  he 
may  be  led  to  understand  the  call  of  God  to  him  to  be  a  pious 
child.  And  may  you,  and  your  dear  husband,  be  strengthened 
with  might  in  your  souls  to  bear  whatever  trials  are  now  upon 
you,  or  may  await  you  in  this  present  world."     *    *    *    * 

After  regretting  that  he  should  not  be  able  to  write 
at  length,  he  adopts  the  saying  of  an  old  friend  of 
his  own  and  Mr.  Cecil,  as  expressive  of  his  present 
feelings  : — 

*  *  *  *  "  Rev.  i.  9.  first  clause.  1  Pet,  v.  7.  Cant.  iv. 
12—10.  Deut.  xxxiii.  25.  last  clause.  Matt.  xi.  28.  These 
are  my  later  texts.  You  will  see  how  my  mind  has  been  led. 
And  I  come  to  find  that  the  woman  of  Canaan  was  one  of  the 
first  of  women,  in  that  surprising  strength  which  the  Lord  gave 
to  her  faith,  that  He  might  try  it  as  to  the  uttermost,  for  a 
pattern  to  all  them  who  should  hereafter  be  brought  under  the 
most  disheartening  discouragements.  *  Lord,  I  believe,'  you 
can  both  say  through  grace,  'help  my  unbelief!'  'Lord, 
increase  our  faith,'  we  must  all  add.  Now  this  I  humbly  hope 
that  He  n^ill  do.  Oh  that  those  two  dear  girls  with  you  may 
have  the  gift  of  God,  and  all  your  children  in  due  season,  and 
all  far  and  near  who  are  of  our  blood  and  kindred!  I  hope 
you  can  now  leave  yourself  for  life  with  your  blessed  Lord,  as 
you  were  enabled  to  do  for  death  when  it  seemed  as  if  coming 


1841.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  393 

nearer  to  you.  You  have  much,  my  dear  CaroUne,  to  live  for, 
if  He  restore  you  ;  and  His  very  restoration  of  you  speaks  this 
language  :  if  your  work  were  done.  He  would  not  restore  you. 
But  He  will  give  you  a  lengthened  day,  I  trust,  that  you  may 
both  yourself  be  fitted,  by  the  sovereign  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  for  *a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory,' 
and  that  you  may  be  a  means  and  instrument  of  awakening 
and  sanctifying  others.  Now  *  for  the  morrow  take  no  care,' 
but  to  be  right  with  God ;  and,  even  in  that,  dismiss  all 
anxiety.  Don't  let  your  mind  run  out  into  sanguine  plans : 
mine  would,  and  therefore  I  know  the  need  of  laying  a  curb 
on  it.  Yet  I  know  the  value  of  that  '  repairing  principle  '  which 
God  has  given  to  both  you  and  me,  if  not  suffered  to  carry  us 
away." 

This  "  repairing  principle "  he  had  in  a  large  mea- 
sure in  his  natural  character  ;  and  it  was  strengthened 
by  grace.  His  faith  was  simple  and  strong,  and  his 
confidence  in  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  his  covenanted 
God  unwavering.  He  had,  however,  seasons  of  depres- 
sion, especially,  as  we  shall  see,  in  his  last  illness : 
but  these  arose,  no  doubt,  in  part  from  the  physical 
effect  of  disease  upon  his  spirits,  and  also  from  the 
humble  view  he  was  led  to  take  of  himself ;  not  from 
any  failure  in  his  reliance  on  the  mercy  of  God  or  in 
his  grasp  of  the  merits  of  Christ,  as  his  title  to  heaven. 

"London,  Oct.  8,  1841. 
"  God  is  so  dealing  with  your  family  and  affairs,  that  it 
seems  a  seasonable  time  to  put  you  and  your  dear  husband  in 
remembrance  of  those  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises, 
by  pleading  and  relying  on  which,  your  faith  and  hope  shall 
be  sustained.  In  the  circumstances  which  attend  your  pre- 
sent situation— as,  whether  heaUh  and  necessary  provision  will 


394  CORRESPONDENCE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

be  such  as  to  enable  you  to  continue  where  you  are? — whither, 
if  you    are    to   remove,    you   should   remove  ? — what  means, 
further  than  those  which  you  have  already  employed,  should 
be  yet  used  to  ascertain   the  will  of  God? — these  are  ques- 
tions, and  there  are  others  like  them,  on  which,  in  childlike 
simplicity,  you  may  pray ;  and  be  assiu'ed  that  when  patience 
has   had   her  perfect  work,  your  prayers  shall  be  answered. 
'Crucified  to  the  world' — *  Dead  to  the  world'— these  are  mighty 
words.     Before  they  can  be  realized  in  us,  our  hearts  must 
undergo   many  violent  wrenchings.     You  have   both   known 
some  of  these ;  and  I  doubt  not  but  the  Divine  life  has  by  these, 
through  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  been  strengthened 
in  you.     You  were  ready  to  say,  with  Hezekiah,  '  I  reckoned 
till  morning,  that,  as  a  lion,  so  will  He  break  all  my  bones : 
from  day  even  to  night  wilt  Thou   make   an  end  of  me  ;'  but 
you  were  brought  to  say,  '  O  Lord,  by  these   things  men  live, 
and  in  all  these  things  is  the  life  of  my  spirit :  so  wilt  Thou 
recover  me,  and  make  me  to  live.'     But  the  process  of  wean- 
ing the  heart  from  the  creature  may  become  more  gentle  and 
quiet,  yet  it  must  be  continued.     The  heart,  except  so  far  as 
it  is  acting  under  the  power  of  grace,  is  putting  forth  its  feelers 
after  this  and  that  creature-comfort ;  but  God  in  mercy  places 
His  servants  under  dispensations,  by  which  they  are,  at  length, 
brought  to  a  deliberate  and  settled  conviction  and  feeling  of 
heart  that  God  in  Christ  is  their  only  portion,  and  are  enabled 
to  hold  their  dearest  earthly  joys  as  His,  and  theirs  only  in  Him 
and  for  Him.     You,  dear  Caroline,  and  your  beloved  husband, 
have  been  repeatedly  under  this  process  of  the  Lord  with  you  ; 
you  are  now  under  it.     May  He  grant  you  both  the  spiritual 
benefit  of  His  dealings !    It  is  not  now  the  great  and  strong  wind 
which  rends  the  mountains,  nor  the  earthquake,  nor  the  fire ; 
but  it  is  the  'still  small  voice''  which  follows  you  with  its  gentle 
whisperings — *  Trust  ye  in  the  Lord  for  ever ;  for  in  the  Lord 
Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength.     Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  per- 
fect peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thco,  because  he  trusteth 


1841.]  CORRESPONDENCE.  395 

in  Thee.'  I  do  augur  good  to  our  family  ;  1  mean  that  good 
which  is  alone  worthy  of  the  name,  from  the  trials  of  faith  to 
which  various  branches  have  been,  and  are  still,  subjected. 
We  may  not  be  able  to  detect  any  special  cause  for  painful 
dispensations  ;  but  they  who  live  most  in  communion  of  spirit 
with  their  Divine  Master  well  know  that  there  is  always  abun- 
dant need  of  these  lowering  yet  quickening  medicines  :  and  the 
more  vividly  faith  sets  home  on  conscience  our  omissions  and 
failings,  in  the  feelings  and  acts  of  love  to  God  and  our  neigh- 
bour, which  are  bound  on  us  by  the  Divine  command,  and 
enforced  on  us  by  the  mercies  of  the  Gospel,  we  shall  the  more 
heartily  justify  God  in  all  His  fatherly  corrections.  '  If  we 
would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged.'  But  we  all 
fail  in  detecting  our  sins  and  infirmities.  Our  Heavenly  Father, 
therefore,  takes  us  in  hand ;  and  that  with  a  most  fatherly 
purpose :  for  *  when  we  are  judged,  we  are  chastened  of  the 
Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  condemned  with  the  world.' 
Chastening  is  from  the  hand  of  love ;  and  scourges  are  applied 
to  the  son  whom  the  Father  receives.  Sincere  desires  and 
earnest  prayers,  that  our  troubles  and  cares  may  be  sanctified 
to  the  increase  of  our  deadness  to  the  world  and  of  our  faith 
and  hope  in  our  Covenant  God,  are  grounds  of  assurance  that 
He  is  graciously  dealing  with  us  to  prepare  us  for  His  eternal 
kingdom  and  glory.  It  is  true  that  misgivings  often  damp  and 
dishearten  the  afflicted,  especially  in  dark  and  cloudy  days, 
when  he  is  trying  to  plead  the  promises.  *  Who  am  /,  that  / 
should  lay  claim  to  the  promises  of  the  covenant,  who  fail  in  all 
things  ;  and  come  short  of  rendering  the  glory  due  to  God,  in 
all  the  workings  of  my  heart  and  the  actions  of  my  life  toward 
Him  and  my  neighbour?  Am  I  r(?a%  a  Christian  ?  Havel 
ever  been  grafted  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  faith,  into  the 
True  Vine  ?'  Certainly,  the  way  to  God  must  be  cleared  for 
us,  by  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience, 
before  we  can  draw  near  with  confidence.  But  a  conscious- 
ness of  integrity  and  sincerity,  in   the  midst  of  often  repeated 


396  LETTER  TO  HIS  GRANDSON.  [Chai-.  XIX. 

though  disallowed  failings,  opens  to  us  the  full  encouragement 
of  the  virtue  of  that  blood  which  cleanseth  from  all  sin. 

**  We  are  all  desirous  of  hearing  very  soon  from  you  again. 
We  cordially  join  in  Mr.  Clowes's  wishes  and  prayers,  that 
nothing  may  befal  the  dear  children,  but  as  it  shall  be  accom- 
panied by  evidence  of  their  souls'  safety  in  the  Lord.  Ever 
let  us  keep  our  eyes  steadily  fixed  on  our  own  and  their  spi- 
ritual warfare,  and  the  salvation  of  all  around  us. 

"  May  God  our  Saviour  take  you  all  into  His  special  keep- 
ing, and  guide  and  comfort  you,  by  His  Holy  Spirit^  to  the 
glory  of  God  our  Father !" 

The  letter  to  his  grandson  above  alluded  to  was 
the  following — an  admirable  specimen  of  a  simple 
and  afFectionate  manner  of  addressing  children  : — 

"  London,  Jan.  22,  1840. 

"my  dear  ARTHUR  — 

"We  have  all  been  very  sorry  to  hear  how  ill  you  have 
been.  So  we  prayed  for  you.  Mr.  C.  is  a  wise  man,  in  know- 
ing what  medicines  to  give  you  ;  but  our  Heavenly  Father  only 
can  make  these  medicines  do  you  good.  And  when  we  heard 
that  He  had  given  His  blessing,  and  that  you  were  getting 
better,  we  prayed  that  you  might  be  made  quite  well  and 
strong  again :  but  we  did  not  forget  to  thank  Him  for  having 
heard  and  answered  our  prayers  for  you.  And,  dear  Arthur, 
don't  forget  to  be  thankful.  Why  did  we  wish  that  you  might 
live  and  not  die  now  ?  I  will  tell  you.  We  pitied  your  papa 
and  mamma,  who  love  you  very  much ;  especially  your  poor 
mamma,  as  she  is  herself,  as  you  know,  so  weak  that  she  is 
obliged  to  be  far  from  home,  and  cannot  come  and  see  you. 
Then  your  sisters  and  brother,  and  kind  friends  at  Caistor  and 
here,  all  loved  you,  and  wished  that  you  might  not  die,  and 
your  dear  papa  travelled  a  long  way  to  see  you  and  comfort 
you.  But  there  was  another  reason  why  we  prayed  to  God  to 
spare  yoiu-  life,  and    let  you    grow  up  to  be  a  man.     Sliall  I 


1840.]  LETTER  TO  HIS  GRANDSON.  397 

tell  you  what  that  is  ?  Why,  you  have  a  soul,  which  is  never 
to  die.  When  your  body  shall  die,  it  will  be  laid  in  the  grave, 
and  will  become  the  food  of  worms ;  but  your  soul  will  not 
then  die,  nor  ever  through  all  eternity.  It  will  leave  the  body 
when  the  body  shall  die,  and  will  either  go  to  a  place  of  torment 
or  to  a  place  of  joy,  and  stay  there  till  Christ  shall  raise  all 
dead  bodies  from  the  graves ;  and  then  every  soul  shall  be 
joined  again  to  its  own  body,  and  they  who  have  done  good 
shall  go  to  heaven,  but  they  who  have  done  evil  shall  go  to 
hell.  Now  we  pray  for  your  life  because  we  very  much  want  to 
see  that  God,  by  His  Holy  Spirit,  is  making  you  like  Samuel 
and  like  Timothy.  They  loved  the  Word  of  God.  Samuel 
had  only  a  little  part  of  the  Bible  in  his  day,  and  Timothy  had 
only  the  Old  Testament :  the  New  Testament  was  not  then 
written :  but  they  both  heartily  loved  and  diligently  read  what 
they  had.      You  have  all    the   Bible ;    and  it  will  make   you 

*  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.' 
These  are  St.  Paul's  words  about  Timothy.  Perhaps  you  do 
not  quite  understand  them.  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save 
us  from  hell.  He  is  God,  and  joined  Himself  to  us  by  being 
made  man.  And  so  He  suffered  and  died  in  our  stead.  Now 
if  you  go  every  day  in  prayer  to  God,  and  say  from  your  heart, 

*  Father,  for  Christ's  sake,  who  died  for  my  sins,  forgive  me  all 

my  sins,  and  by  Thy  Holy  Spirit  take  away  all  evil  more  and 

more  from  my  heart,  and  make  me  more  and  more  like  Christ 

my  Saviour,'  then  God  will  indeed  be  your  Father,  and  make 

you  a  holy  and  happy  child.     He  has  sent  this   illness  upon 

you,  that  you  may  be  brought  to  think  on  these  things.     Get 

often  alone,  then,  and  pray  that  He  would  help  you  to  give  up 

your  heart  to  Him  ;  for  you  are  not  your  own ;  Christ  has  a 

right  to  you,  for  He  shed  His   precious  blood  for  you.     Oh, 

you  would  lead  so  happy  a  life,  and  your  dear  father  and  mother 

would  so  rejoice  over  you !     God  help  and  bless  you,  Arthur  ! 

I  have  written  this  to  you  in  love  to  your  soul,  and  am  always 

Your  loving  grandfather, 

"  JosiAH  Pratt." 


398  LETTER  TO  HIS  GRANDAUGHTER.  [Ciur.  XIX. 

To  his  little  grandaughter,  six  years  of  age,  he 
addressed  the  following  : — 

''2UtFeb.  1843. 
"  UY  DEAR  JANE  — 

"  I  was  very  glad  to  receive  a  note  from  you.  Notes  and 
letters  are  very  useful,  you  know,  when  we  are  not  able  to 
speak  to  one  another.  They  tell  us  one  another's  thoughts 
and  wishes  as  plainly,  though  not  so  quickly,  as  when  we  are 
speaking  together. 

"  You  tell  me  in  this  little  note  of  yours  some  pleasant 
things.  You  thank  me  for  some  money,  which  I  gave  you  in 
order  to  shew  you  my  love.*  It  is  pleasant  to  me  to  know  that 
you  are  thankful ;  and  we  hope  and  pray  that,  while  you  are 
thankful  to  us  and  to  your  dear  parents,  for  the  love  which 
they  and  we  can  shew  to  you,  you  will  be,  above  all,  heartily 
and  always  thankful  to  your  Heavenly  Father,  for  sending  His 
beloved  Son,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  to  die  for  our  sins ;  and 
for  giving  us  every  thing  which  we  need,  and  especially  His 
Holy  Spirit,  to  teach  us  and  lead  us  in  the  way  of  salvation. 
Pray  often,  my  dear  Jane  :  pray  to  your  Heavenly  Father  for 
the  pardon  of  all  your  sins,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  who  suffered 
for  them.  Pray  to  Jesus,  who  loves  children,  and  will  pray 
for  them  to  God  His  Father,  if  they  will  ask  Him ;  and 
happy  and  blessed  will  those  children  be  for  whom  Jesus  prays ! 
Pray  also  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  make  you  feel  your  sins,  and 
your  need  of  pardon  through  Jesus  Christ;  and  to  help  you 
to  understand  and  feel  what  you  read  in  the  Scriptures,  and 
are  taught  by  your  dear  papa  and  mamma. 

"  You  tell  me  also  in  your  note  that  you  write  to  thank  me 
for  what  I  gave  to  your  brother  and  sister,  because  they  are 
too  little  to  write  for  themselves.  This  is  just  what  brothers 
and  sisters  should  do  for  one  another.     You  will  always,  I 

*  I  [e  had  divided  a  sum  bequeathed  to  him  equally  among  all  his 
grandchildren. 


1343]  FAMILY  HUMILIATION.  399 

hope,  help  one  another  in  every  thing  which  may  be  in  your 
power.  Be  kind  and  loving,  as  Jesus  is  to  you,  and  pray  for 
one  another,  that  you  may  be  a  family  of  love. 

"  God  bless  you,  my  dear  Jane,  and  make  you  like  Samuel 
in  the  Old  Testament,  and  like  Timothy  in  the  New  !     Your 
mamma  will  tell  you  where  to  read  about  them. 
"  I  am  ever 

*'  Your  affectionate  grandfather, 

"JosiAH  Pratt." 

The  visitations  of  the  Divine  hand,  before  men- 
tioned, impressed  on  Mr.  Pratt's  mind  the  propriety 
of  setting  apart  special  seasons  for  family  humiliation 
before  God,  and  for  intercession  and  thanksgiving  on 
behalf  of  its  various  members  according  to  their  pecu- 
liar circumstances.  He  had  adopted  this  practice 
himself  many  years,  and  recommended  it  to  each  of 
his  children  as  they  settled  in  life.  The  day  which 
he  chose  was,  the  Friday  before  the  Sunday  on  which 
the  Lord's  Supper  was  to  be  administered :  and  he 
adopted,  at  the  same  time,  the  practice  of  abstaining 
partially  from  his  "  usual  food,  so  far,"  as  he  used  to 
say,  "  as  to  remind  us  of  the  duty  and  fitness  of  ap- 
proaching the  sacred  ordinance  in  the  true  spirit  of 
humility  and  repentance,  and  with  renewed  hold  by 
faith  on  the  merit  and  grace  of  our  blessed  Redeemer." 

He  considered  tliat  the  superstitious  use  or  rather 
abuse  of  Fasting  formed  no  valid  argument  against 
the  proper  observance  of  a  practice,  of  which  our  Lord 
Himself  set  us  an  example,  and  which  He  recognised 
as  a  duty  of  His  followers. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  period  embraced  by  this 
Chapter,  IVIr.  Pratt  had  completed  his  70th  year :  and 


400  ADVANCING  AGE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

though,  in  writing  from  Highgate  of  his  own  and  Mrs. 
Pratt's  health  about  that  time,  ho  says,  "  We  are  both 
increasingly  sensible  of  the  infirmities  of  age,"  he  is 
able,  however,  to  add,  "  We  yet  have  abundant  cause 
for  thankfulness ;"  and  then  gives  no  very  insignificant 
proof  of  the  vigour  of  his  constitution  for  such  a  time  of 
life ; — "  A  few  days  ago  I  walked  ten  or  twelve  miles, 
and  to-day  I  have  walked  from  London." 

But  every  year  began  now  to  remind  him  more 
than  ever,  that  life  must  soon  close  and  eternity  open 
upon  him.  It  is  instructive  to  observe  the  humility 
and  watchfulness,  with  which  he  marked  the  years  as 
they  passed.  On  the  21st  of  Dec.  1839,  he  writes  to 
his  son : — 

"  I  am  writing  on  my  birth-day,  when  I  enter  my  72cl 
year — a  monument  of  mercy !  Spared,  when  I  might  have 
been  justly  destroyed,  thousands  of  times;  and  still  living  far 
beneath  what  I  ought  to  be,  and  might  be,  if  faith  drew  out 
of  the  fulness  of  our  Great  Head  that  supply  of  His  Spirit 
which  he  is  ready  to  bestow." 

A  year  and  a  half  later  he  writes  again : — 

"  I  feel  very  sensibly  the  progress  of  years.  This  73d 
year  is  making  more  rapid  inroads  on  my  strength,  than  any 
other  which  I  remember.  *  *  *  *  As  death  and  judgment 
come  near,  and  are  presented  to  me  at  times  with  a  more 
realizing  power,  the  remembi-ance  of  former  grievous  sins  and 
the  sense  of  present  omissions  and  short-comings  drive  me 
more  simply  to  the  Cross.  Pray  for  me,  dear  John,  and  pray 
for  Josiali  and  yourself,  that  we  may  be  'fervent  in  spirit, 
serving  the  Lord  ! '  Oli  that  we  could  feel  habitually  the  value 
of  a  single  soul — of  every  sermon — of  every  hour — of  the 
precious  blood  shed  for  sinners  !" 


1842.]  A  PROVIDENTIAL  ESCAPE.  401 

At  the  beginning  of  his  74th  year  he  writes  : — 

"  The  last  year  has  made  inroads  on  my  constitution  which 
warn  me  to  expect  the  natural  course  of  things."  But  adds  :  — 
"  For  a  long  life  of  unusual  freedom  from  acute  and  weakening 
disease,  though  carrying  with  me  almost  always  some  trouble- 
some infirmities,  I  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful.  And  so 
I  have  for  merciful  deliverances  in  imminent  dangers." 

He  then  narrates  a  special  deliverance  which  he 
had  just  experienced,  from  an  accident  which  might 
have  proved  of  the  most  serious  nature  : — 

"  On  the  30th  of  last  month  [Dec]  I  had  a  narrow  escape 
from  broken  bones,  if  not  from  immediate  death,  in  walking 
into  a  vault  in  St.  Stephen's,  which  had  been  opened  and 
inadvertently  left  uncovered.  I  fell  in  up  to  my  arm-pits 
nearly,  and  was  stopped  by  some  steps  ;  but  mercifully  escaped 
all  serious  mischief,  though  I  was  greatly  shaken  by  the  fall. 
God  be  praised !  You  must,  yourself,  have  encountered  many 
manifest,  and  perhaps  more  unseen  perils,  in  your  precipitous 
climbings  and  descendings,  but  God  has  sent  His  angels  to 
your  aid:  for  that  is  still  true  concerning  those  who  truly 
commit  themselves  in  all  their  ways  to  the  Lord — '  He  shall 
give  His  angels  charge  over  thee  to  keep  thee  in  all  thy  ways.' 
We  have  no  promise  of  exemption  from  all  evil  occurrents ; 
but  if  any  are  permitted  to  befal  the  true  servant  of  God,  he 
knows  that  they  are  under  the  special  direction  of  His  Heavenly 
Father's  hand,  and  such  as  he  knows  are,  in  their  circumstances 
and  consequences,  for  his  greatest  good." 

The  same  year  he  writes  again  in  the  same  holy 
frame  of  mind  : — 

"  We,  your  father  and  mother,  have  many  loud  calls  around 
us  to  prepare  to  leave  the  world.  But  age  and  its  growing 
infirmities,  with  the  separations  of  our  children  from  us,  and 

D  1) 


402  DEATH  OF  MRS.  SIMCOX.  [Chap.  XIX. 

the  snapping  of  those  bands  which  seem  to  tie  us  clown  to  the 
world,  do  not,  of  themselves,  raise  the  soul  to  heaven.  There 
must  be  actual  flowings  of  grace  from  Him  who  giveth  more 
and  sufficient  and  seasonable  grace.  Pray  for  this  on  behalf 
of  your  old  parents,  that,  while  the  outward  man  decayeth,  the 
inward  man  may  grow  stronger  and  stronger,  and  while  things 
around  us  are  saying  '  Arise,  this  is  not  your  rest,'  we  may  have 
grace  to  obey. 

"  Pray  for  us,  that  our  numberless  sins  and  failings  may 
make  us  to  '  go  softly'  down  to  the  grave,  while  our  hearts  are 
cheered  and  assured  of  acceptance  in  the  Beloved,  and  feel  the 
sanctified  benefit  of  all  the  Divine  dealings  with  us  and  ours." 

Mr.  Pratt's  last  visit  to  his  native  place  was  on 
occasion  of  the  death  of  his  only  surviving  sister,*  Mrs. 
Simcox,  in  the  77th  year  of  her  age.  She  was  the 
widow  of  George  Simcox,  Esq.,  a  man  well  known, 
and  highly  esteemed  as  a  magistrate,  and  the  active 
promoter  of  good  of  every  kind  in  the  town  of  Bir- 
mingham. Mrs.  Simcox  died  on  the  28th  of  April, 
1843,  having  outlived  her  husband  and  all  her  eight 
children,  except  the  youngest.  Mr.  Pratt  went  to  her 
funeral,  taking  with  him  one  of  his  daughters,  who 
describes  the  solemnities  of  the  occasion  in  a  letter 
written  to  her  friends  at  home  on  the  following  day. 
After  mentioning  the  previous  circumstances,  she  goes 
on  to  say,  ''  We  all  gathered  together,  the  whole  party 
and  household,  to  the  number  of  twenty-seven,  for  my 
father  to  address  them  and  improve  the  solemn  event. 
He  began  by  giving  out  the  hymn.  It  is  a  hymn 
of  Dr.  Watts's,    which  begins,    *  Give   me  the  wings 

*  An  Obituary  of  another  sister,  Cliarlotte,  who  died  in  1832,  is  given 
in  the  Appendix,  from  the  "  JNIissionaiy  Register"  of  that  year. 


1843.]  FUNERAL  OF  MRS.  SiMCOX.  403 

of  faith  to  rise/  and  then  chose  1  Thess.  iv.  13 — 18  to 
ground  his  remarks  upon.  On  beginning  tlie  passage, 
and  reading  ^  concerning  them  that  are  asleep/  he 
was  so  overcome  that  he  was  obliged  to  pause  for  a 
minute  or  two ;  and  when  he  could  speak,  he  said  that 
it  was  the  remembrance  of  one  whom  he  had  known 
and  loved  for  more  than  seventy  years  that  caused 
such  emotion,  and  hoped  he  should  be  excused  for  not 
being  able  to  command  his  feelings.  After  making  a 
general  exposition  of  the  passage,  he  gave  a  brief 
view  of  his  sister's  life — of  his  own  early  religious 
intercourse  with  her,  when  his  mind,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  became  religiously  affected,  and  the  comfort 
and  help  she  was  to  him  in  directing  him  forward — 
of  her  steady  and  consistent  religious  profession  in  the 
various  stages  of  her  life,  and  under  the  numerous 
trials  and  domestic  bereavements  which  fell  to  her 
portion — and  the  example  which  she  has  left  to  all 
to  follow  her  steps  if  they  ever  hope  to  attain  to  that 
life  upon  which  she  has  now  entered.  In  the  end,  he 
spoke  of  the  voice  with  which  this  event  appeals  to  all 
regarding  the  state  of  their  own  souls,  and  how  impor- 
tant it  is  that  we  should  not  let  it  pass  without  a 
serious  inquiry  as  to  the  benefit  we  receive  from  it." 
He  writes  afterward  to  Mrs.  Pratt : — 

"  All  is  now  at  rest  and  in  silence,  but  has  a  loud  voice  to 
you  and  to  me,  my  dear  love.  May  the  free  and  sovereign 
grace  and  mercy  of  the  Lord  greatly  quicken  our  souls ;  and 
may  this  dispensation  be  made  a  blessing  to  all,  old  and  young, 
who  are  now  assembled  here  to  mourn  over  and  to  bury  our 
sister ! " 

I)  D  2 


404  A  LETTER  ADDRESSED  [Ciiap.  XIX. 

In  the  autumn  of  1843,  he  and  Mrs.  Pratt  spent  a 
few  weeks  at  Hartfield  in  Sussex,  the  living  of  his 
brother-in-law,  the  Rev.  John  Jowett.  Here  they 
passed  the  forty-sixth  anniversary  of  their  wedding- 
day.  In  the  following  reply  to  one  of  the  various 
letters  of  congratulation  which  they  had  received  from 
their  children  upon  this  happy  occasion,  we  see  the 
same  blessed  preparation  of  heart  for  that  great  and 
happy  change  which  he  was  soon  to  undergo.  It  is 
addressed  to  his  son  and  his  second  daughter,  who 
were  then  in  town.  Similar  ones  were  addressed  to 
his  other  children  : — ■ 

"  Your  mother  unites  with  me  in  accepting  and  heartily 
thanking  you  for  your  wishes  and  desires  that  God  may 
grant  us  many  happy  returns  of  our  marriage  commemora- 
tion." 

But,  as  if  conscious  that  "  many''''  returns  of  the  day 
could  not  occur  to  one  of  his  advanced  age,  he  adds : — 

"  I  say '  accepting,'  for  we  do  this  as  a  token  of  your  love ;  but 
our  calmest  thoughts  and  feelings  lead  us  to  value  most  of  all 
that  interest  which  we  trust  and  believe  that  we  possess  in  the 
prayers  of  all  our  children,  that  now — when  we  are  old  and 
grey-headed,  and  flesh  and  heart  begin  to  fail,  and  conscience 
testifies  of  broken  vows,  and  unfruitful  lives,  and  neglected 
op])ortunities — we  may  have  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
with  our  spirits,  that  we  are  labouring  to  'walk  in  the  light,  as 
He  is  in  the  light,'  and  that '  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth 
us  from  all  sin.'  Let  us  pray  for  one  another,  that  we  may 
all  live  in  the  realizing  view  of  death,  judgment,  and  eternity  : 
and  may  you  all  particularly  bear  us  in  mind  before  the  Throne 
of  Grace,  that  the  special  supplies  of  grace  which  our  growing 
infirnutics  need,  may  be  ever  mercifully  granted  to  us.    Memory 


1843.]  TO  ins  CHILDREN.  405 

fails,  the  perceptions  are  more  dull,  the  affections  are  less 
lively,  more  effort  is  required  to  break  through  the  sway  of  the 
senses,  we  are  *  afraid  of  that  which  is  high,  and  fears  are  in 
the  way,  and  the  almond-tree  flourishes,  and  the  grasshopper 
is  a  burden,  and  desire  fails,' — all  which  should  speak  loudly 
to  us  that  we  are  going  to  our  long  home,  and  that  the 
mourners  will  soon  go  about  the  streets,  testifying  that  the 
places  on  earth  which  have  known  us  shall  know  us  no  more. 

"  On  gi'ace,  therefore,  on  sovereign  and  almighty  grace,  we 
lean ;  and  we  desire  our  dear  children  to  remember,  that  we 
count  it  an  evidence  of  their  enlightened  and  special  love  when 
they  pray  for  us,  that,  as  flesh  and  heart  shall  continue  to  fail, 
our  God,  our  reconciled  Father  in  Christ  Jesus,  would  take  us 
up,  and  be  the  strength  of  our  hearts,  until  the  conflict  is  over, 
and  then  be  our  portion  for  ever. 

"  In  return,  we  shall  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,  as  we  habi- 
tually do,  family  by  family  and  one  by  one,  that  each  may 
*  stand  perfect  and  entire  in  all  the  will  of  God  ;'  that  those  of 
you,  in  particular,  who  are  put  in  trust  with  the  ministry  may 
'  meditate  upon  these  things,  and  give  themselves  wholly  to 
them,  that  their  profiting  may  appear  to  all ;'  and  that  all  the 
others,  like  Levites  helping  the  priesthood,  may  remember  that 
every  one  has  a  place  assigned  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

"  Oh  for  more  supplies  of  grace  out  of  the  fulness  which  is 
treasured  up  for  the  Church  in  its  Great  Head!  that  we  two, 
leading  the  way,  the  younger  ministers  following,  the  female 
helpers  lending  their  hands,  and  the  thirteen  grandchildren  in 
due  time  (with  any  who  shall  be  added)  called  into  service,  may 
all  at  length  meet  before  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  ! 
"  We  are  ever,  my  dear  childi'en, 

"  Your  affectionate  parents, 

"  JosiAii  Pratt. 

"  Elizabeth  Pratt." 

His  correspondence   of  the  following  year,  the  last 


406  ADVANCING  AGE.  [Chap.  XIX. 

of  his  sojourn  upon  earth,  opened  with  an  ahnost 
prophetic  intimation  of  his  approaching  end.  "  Old 
age,"  he  tells  his  son  abroad,  "  threatens  to  pull  me 
down."  "  Oh !  pray  for  me,"  he  wTites  a  fortnight 
later,  "  that  this  may  be  a  year  of  constant  maturing 
for  that  world,  on  which  I  must  very  soon  enter."  At 
an  intermediate  date  he  writes : — 

"  The  time  for  action  has  greatly  passed  away,  and  is  still 
swiftly  passing.  *  *  *  *  Most  blessed  will  this  season  of 
my  life  be  to  me,  if  om'  compassionate  Saviour  shall  be  pleased 
to  grant  me  a  larger  measure'  of  His  grace  and  Spirit,  that  I 
may  sink  deeper  in  self-loathing  and  hatred  of  sin,  and  grow 
strong  and  vigorous  in  the  exercise  of  faith  and  grateful  love. 
Pray  for  me,  dear  John,  and  for  your  dear  mother,  that  the 
special  wants  and  failings  of  old  age  may  be  supplied  out  of 
Christ's  fulness,  and  all  our  sins  forgiven,  and  we  ourselves, 
while  we  are  compelled  to  say  '  My  flesh  and  my  heart  faileth,' 
may  be  able,  with  firm  and  growing  confidence,  to  add,  *  But 
God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever.' " 

And  in  March,  he  observes  to  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta, 
in  a  letter  which  we  have  already  quoted : — 

"  Your  reference  to  dear  Father  Scott's  accustomed  saying, 
'  I  wish  to  end  tvell,'  awakens  in  my  mind  the  solemn 
thoughts  of  approaching  judgment.  *  *  *  *  Pray  for  me,  my 
dear  friend,  that,  through  sovereign  grace  and  mercy,  I  may 
indeed  end  well.  My  bodily  infirmities  have  of  late  increased 
much  upon  me,  and  compel  me  to  withdraw  from  almost  all 
active  service  in  various  Societies,  that  I  may  spend  my  remain- 
ing days  and  strength  in  pastoral  labours  at  home." 

At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1844,  he  was 
obliged  to  make  a  change  in  his  daily  habits,  which, 
while  it  indicated  a  failure  in  bodily  strength,  reveals 


1844.]  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  AN  OLD  FRIEND.  40? 

his  continued  perseverance  up  to  this  time  in  that 
habit  of  early  rising,  which  was  doubtless  one  cause  of 
his  retaining  such  a  degree  of  vigour  and  activity  to 
so  great  an  age. 

"  My  old  friend,  Dr.  Farre,"  he  writes,  Feb.  10, 1844, 
"  who  considers  my  case  symptomatic  of  debility  and 
exhaustion,  has  prescribed  more  sleep.  I  gave  up,  in 
consequence,  this  morning,  for  the  first  time  these 
many,  many  years,  my  system  of  rising  punctually  at 
six,  and  take  eight  hours  bed,  at  present  from  eleven 
to  seven :"  and  then  he  adds,  "  I  find  this  likely  to 
derange  my  habits  of  mind,  for  some  time  at  least ; 
but  may  perhaps  change  in  the  summer  from  ten  to 
six,  the  main  object  being  to  secure  longer  rest  to  the 
weakened  frame." 

This  Chapter  may  be  appropriately  closed  with  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Pratt  to  Mrs.  Townsend,  daughter  of 
the  late  Rev.  W.Jesse,  his  first  Incumbent.  It  will 
be  read  with  additional  interest,  after  the  following 
extract  from  a  letter  of  Mrs.  Townsend's,  transmitting 
a  copy  of  Mr.  Pratt's  to  his  eldest  son  : — 

"  Thorpe  Rectory,  near  Newark,  Notts,  Oct.  4, 184G. 

"  Your  fathei"  was  indeed  an  '  old  friend.'  When  I  was 
very  young — say  about  twelve  or  fourteen  or  fifteen — I  was 
not  in  a  state  to  value,  as  I  ought,  his  religious  state  of  mind  ; 
but  I  can  tell  you  that  my  recollections  of  him,  at  the  age 
nearly  of  sixty-five,  are  very  delightful  to  me.  He  induced  me 
at  that  early  period  of  my  life,  when  he  was  Curate  to  my 
father,  to  leave  off  slave  sugar  (indeed,  there  was  then  no 
other  sugar),  to  decrease  the  demand  for  Negro  slaves  from 
Africa,  and  that  we  might  not  partake  in  other  men's  sins.  *   *   * 


4US  LETTER  FROM  MR.  PRATT  [Chap.  XIX. 

"  I  used  to  take  great  pleasure  in  his  conversation,  and  in 
the  interesting  stories  he  told  me.  I  remember  that  he  gave 
me  a  Book  full  of  Wonders  :  but  when  at  a  distance  from  West 
Bromwich,  he  recollected  something  was  wrong  in  the  volume ; 
and  on  his  return  to  my  father's  house  he  sat  down,  with 
anxiety,  to  tear  leaf  after  leaf  out  of  the  book,  of  that  which 
was  amiss.  Would  that  this  could  be  done,  before  they  go  to 
press,  to  all  the  publications  that  may  hereafter  reach  the  eyes 
and  the  hearts  of  the  young. 

"  In  1796,  I  remember,  he  kindly  gave  me  Rousseau's  and 

Martyn's   '  Botany,'  encouraging  me  to  pursue   that   study  as 

well  as  gardening,  in  which  he  used  to  assist  me :  and  I  can 

see  him  now,  in  my  mind's  eye,  assisting  me  to  carry  a  large 

heavy  turf  full  of  wild  anemonies  to  place  in  my  own  garden. 

As  a  Curate,  assisting  my  father,  sometimes  at  Dowles  and 

sometimes  at  West  Bromwich,  he  was  much  beloved  by  my 

father. 

"  I  remain,  dear  Sir, 

"  Very  truly  yours, 

"  Lucy  Townsend." 

The  following  is  Mr.  Pratt's  letter,  a  copy  of  which 
Mrs.  Townsend  transmitted  : — 

"  London,  Finsbury  Circus,  July  29,  1844. 
"  You  take  me  back  forty  years,  my  dear  friend,  as  the  time 
during  which  we  have  been  known  to  each  other ;  but  I  must 
take  you  back  about  ten  years  more ;  for  it  is  nearly  fifty  years 
since  I  became  your  father's  Curate,*  and  you  were  shooting 
upward  with  what  we  should  call,  in  these  days,  a  'railroad 
rapidity.'  I  heartily  respond  to  your  declaration  concerning 
the  whole  period.  '  God's  patience  with  me  in  that  time  is 
wonderful!'     May  His  grace  abound  toward  us,  and  toward 

*  A  slip  of  memory :  it  was  over  fifty-two  years,  as  appears  by  the 
letters  of  orders,  still  in  possession  of  the  Editors  :  see  p.  8  above. 


1844.]  TO  MRS.  TOWNSEND.  409 

all  who  are  clear  to  us  !     Many   and  sore  troubles  we  have 
seen,  and  many  and  great  blessings   we  have  been  entrusted 
with  ;  but  we  must  both  say,  '  Enter  not  into  judgment  with 
Thy  servants,  for  in  Thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified.' 
*  If  Thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquities,  O  Lord,  who  shall 
stand  ?     But  there  is  forgiveness  with  Thee,  that  Thou  mayest 
be  feared.'     As  we  draw  near  to  the  grave,  and  to  the  search- 
ing day  to  which  it  will  bring  us,  let  us  seek  more  clear  and 
undoubted  testimony  that  '  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth 
from  all  sin,  while  we  walk  in  the  light  as  He  is  in  the  light.' 
When  we  can  get  a  glimpse,  in  their  true  light,  of  the  countless 
omissions  of  the  thoughts,  designs,  and  acts  of  love  which  we 
have  all  our  life  long  owed  to  our  God  and  Saviour,  and  to  one 
another  for  His  sake,  there  can  be  no  rest  for  the  soul  but  in 
boundless  mercy  through  boundless  merit!     May  that  bound- 
less mercy  rest  on  you  and  on  me,  and  on  all  our  dear  friends. 
Oh  let  us  cling  to  Christ ! 

******* 
"  The  notion  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  giving  up 
New  Zealand  must  have  originated  from  the  course  which  the 
Society  will  naturally  adopt,  whenever  our  Lord  shall  so  far 
honour  it  as  to  make  it  instrumental  of  gathering  settled  and 
enlightened  congregations  from  among  the  heathen,  and  they 
become  united  and  governed  under  the  Episcopal  Government 
of  godly  men :  then  will  the  Society  naturally  push  further  into 
the  wilds  of  heathenism,  and  continue  to  repeat  this  progress 
till  it  finds  no  such  wilds  to  break  up. 

"  Mrs.  Pratt  and  my  family  unite  in  very  kind  regards  with, 

my  dear  Mrs.  Townsend, 

"  Your  old  friend, 

"JosiAii  Pratt." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

1844. 

LAST  ILLNESS  AND   DEATH. 

We  have  already  seen  that  Mr.  Pratt's  mind  had  been 
for  some  time  past  drawn  to  the  contemplation  of 
that  solemn  event  which  was  to  remove  him  from  this 
scene  of  labour  and  suffering  to  his  eternal  rest.  The 
following  narrative  of  the  last  weeks  of  his  life,  drawn 
up  by  his  eldest  son,  from  memoranda  written  at  the 
time,  is  a  faithful  relation  of  his  views  and  feelings 
during  that  solemn  period. 


During  the  last  year  of  his  life,  ever  since  he  wrote 
the  letter  to  his  children  on  the  forty-sixth  anniver- 
sary of  his  marriage,  he  was,  as  all  his  friends  tliought, 
visibly  declining:  he  became  almost  inaudible  in  the 
pulpit,  unsteady  in  his  walking,  and  generally  weaker. 
Whenever  tidings  reached  him  of  the  death  of  any 
friend,  he  made  a  self-application  of  it,  and  seemed  to 
consider  it  as  another  call  to  prepare.  And  in  con- 
nection with  these  forebodings,  it  may  be  further 
stated  that  he  began  to  speak  much  and  very  humbly 
of  his  past  life.  He  told  me  one  day  that  he  could 
see  a  great  mixture  of  motives  in  many  of  his  per- 
formances. On  another  occasion  he  remarked  that 
persons  sometimes  spoke  of  his  labours  with  a  com- 
mendation which  they  did  not  deserve,  for  that  God 
had  so  constituted  his  mind,  and  had  so  ordered  the 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  411 

circumstances  of  his  early  life  and  education,  that 
labour  was  less  an  effort  to  him  than  it  would  have 
been  to  others — nay,  was  pleasant ;  but  that  such  an 
one  (naming  a  much  valued  friend)  was  an  angel 
in  comparison  with  himself.  The  thought  of  sin, 
and  particularly  omissions  of  duty,  often  troubled 
and  depressed  him :  he  said  that  when  he  read 
those  injunctions  of  Timothy :  "  Do  the  work  of  an 
evangelist,  make  full  proof  of  thy  ministry,"  he  felt 
ashamed  and  confounded.  My  dear  mother  at  such 
times  directed  him  to  the  Saviour;  and  on  one 
occasion  reminded  him  of  "Christian,"  who  felt  his 
burden  intolerable  till  he  got  a  view  of  the  Cross, 
when  his  burden  fell  off.  He  seemed,  however,  afraid 
of  making  too  light  of  sin,  and  of  making  a  presump- 
tuous use  of  his  privilege ;  and  wondered  how  persons, 
not  remarkable  for  their  Christian  consistency,  could 
exhibit  such  confidence  of  their  acceptance.  His 
feelings  on  this  point  seem  to  be  well  expressed  in 
those  words,  "  That  thou  mayest  remember,  and  be 
confounded,  and  never  open  thy  mouth  any  more 
because  of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee 
for  all  that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  God." 
Ezek.  xvi.  63.  He  was  reminded  how  God  had  blessed 
his  labours,  and  how  he  had  delighted  in  His  service, 
as  an  evidence  that  he  was  a  true  servant  of  God. 
These  facts  he  admitted,  but  thought  that  they  only 
aggravated  his  unfaithfulness,  and  he  could  not  derive 
from  them  any  confidence  of  his  state.  He  was  told 
that  his  reasonings  rather  savoured  of  self-righteous- 
ness and  an  endeavour  to  be  satisfied  with  himself:  at 


112  LA yX  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

which  he  started,  and  seemed  then  to  derive  some 
comfort  from  the  simple  view  of  Christ.  But  he  was 
evidently  subject  to  great  fluctuations.  In  connection 
with  this  trait  of  his  mind  it  may  be  mentioned,  that 
he  became  increasingly  anxious  to  do  all  that  he  could 
for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  Parishioners,  especially 
in  visiting  the  sick. 

About  the  month  of  June,  his  increasing  feebleness 
became  more  apparent,  and  by  the  advice  of  his  medi- 
cal friends  he  was  taken  into  the  country.  He  spent 
about  three  weeks  at  Southborough,  in  Kent ;  thence  he 
removed  to  his  brother-in-law's  at  Hartfleld,in  Sussex, 
and  returned  home  early  in  July,  refreshed,  but  not 
essentially  improved  in  health.  He  remained  at  home 
till  the  6th  of  August,  having  preached  three  times 
during  the  interval :  the  last  sermon  was  preached 
on  the  4th  of  August,  from  1  Cor.  x.  11 — 13,  part 
of  the  Epistle  for  the  day,  and  was  very  characteristic  of 
his  state  of  mind  as  above  described.  He  then  removed 
to  Clapham  for  a  month ;  but  before  the  close  of  the 
period  he  was  seized,  on  Friday,  August  30,  very  early 
in  the  morning,  with  an  attack,  by  which  the  left  side 
and  leg  were  for  the  time  quite  disabled.  As  my  dear 
mother  was  attempting  to  raise  him  (for  he  had  fallen 
on  the  ground)  he  said,  "  I  wonder  whether  this  is 
paralysis;  it  is  a  warning:" — adding,  after  a  short 
pause,  "  the  will  of  the  Lord  be  done ! "  He  reco- 
vered the  use  of  his  limbs,  however,  so  rapidly,  as 
to  be  able  to  walk  down  to  breakfast,  and  afterwards 
to  the  carriage  which  conveyed  him  home.  The  next 
ten  days  he  was  so  far  himself  again,  that  he  paid  at 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  113 

least  five  visits  to  sick  persons,  one  of  which  was  at 
St.  Thomas's  Hospital,  a  distance  of  above  a  mile,  from 
whence,  however,  he  was  compelled  to  ride  home. 
He  likewise  attended  his  own  Church  on  two  Sundays, 
both  morning  and  evening,  though  without  taking  any 
part  of  the  duty ;  and  on  the  first  of  them,  being  the 
1st  of  September,  he  attended  the  Lord's  Table.  On 
Tnesdaij,  Sept.  10,  while  dressing,  he  fell,  and  was 
similarly  affected  as  before,  at  Clapham  ;  the  left  arm 
also  gradually  became  paralysed^  He  never  again 
recovered  the  power  of  the  left  side.  After  cupping, 
he  was  removed  to  his  bed,  from  w-hich  he  never  more 
rose.  It  is  a  great  mercy  that  his  mind  was  not 
affected  by  the  stroke,  and  that,  though  his  powers  of 
speech  were  somewhat  impaired, he  w^as  able  to  express 
himself  intelligibly.  On  Wednesday  morning,  Sept. 
11,  I  had  some  conversation  with  him,  in  which  he 
spoke  in  a  depressed  way  of  his  own  spiritual  state. 
He  spoke  of  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  said  that 
he  could  never  reconcile  to  himself  the  spiritual  joy 
and  confidence  which  some  persons  express,  with  the 
continual  proneness  of  the  heart  to  return  to  sin, 
after  confessing  and  lamenting  it,  and  resolving 
against  it  for  the  future,  and  then  yielding  again  and 
again  to  the  very  same  temptations.  After  dwelling 
on  this  subject  for  some  time  in  reference  to  himself, 
he  was  urged  to  look  off  from  himself,  and  more 
simply  and  entirely  to  Christ — to  leave  the  reasoning 
part  of  the  subject,  and  to  come  to  Christ  as  the  very 
sinner  which  he  thought  himself  to  be  :  that  these  are 
painful  views  of  ourselves,  which  a  survey  of  the  past 


414  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

furnishes  ;  but  they  are  very  salutary,  and  intended 
to  lead  us  to  look  more  entirely  to  Christ  as  our  All 
in  All.  My  father  said,  in  the  course  of  the  conver- 
sation, "  God  always  deals  with  us  as  we  deal  with 
Him."  "Generally,"  it  was  replied,  "but  surely  not 
always,  even  as  to  comfort."  My  father  answered,  in  a 
firm  decided  tone, "  As  a  general  rule,  I  believe  it  is  so." 
He  was  reminded  that  God  is  a  Sovereign,  and  will 
dispense  His  favours  as  He  sees  proper ;  and  that  if  he 
sought  for  comfort  in  the  right  way,  no  doubt  but 
he  would  obtain  it.  The  penitent  thief  was  quoted, 
and  it  was  observed  how  he  had  spent  a  whole  life  in 
ungodliness,  and  yet  received  such  a  remarkable  word 
of  comfort  at  the  close — ''  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with 
me  in  paradise  !"  To  which  he  replied,  "  I  speak  in 
reference  to  professing  Christians."  After  some  further 
conversation  of  the  same  nature  he  was  reminded, 
that,  although  painful,  it  is  at  the  same  time  cause 
of  thankfulness,  to  be  brought  to  feel  sin  in  this  way ; 
as,  owing  to  his  life  having  been  laboriously  spent 
in  his  Master's  service,  his  temptation  would  rather 
have  been  to  self-dependence.  In  the  course  of  this 
interview  I  read  to  him  the  40th  Psalm,  on  his  asking 
for  the  Psalm  beginning  "I  waited  patiently  for 
the  Lord."  On  Fridaij  morning,  Sept.  13,  he  said  to 
my  dear  mother,  "  My  disease  makes  my  spirits  weak  ; 
this  is  the  tendency  of  it."  She  said,  "  '  My  flesh  and 
my  heart  faileth  ;  but  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart, 
and  my  portion  for  ever.'  Is  he  not  your  portion  ?" 
He  replied,  "  I  desire  to  have  no  other  portion.  I 
wish  all  who  have  heard  my  living  voice,  to  hear  my 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  115 

dying  voice  calling  them  to  Christ."  He  added,  with 
much  earnestness,  "  I  charge  you  not  to  quench  the 
Spirit's  influences ;  we  are  very  apt  to  grieve  the  Spirit 
of  God,  and  thereby  lose  much  of  our  spiritual  life ; 
for  He  is  the  Lord  of  life  in  our  souls,  and  by  Him  we 
come  to  Christ." 

In  the  afternoon  my  sister  Charlotte  returned  home, 
on  a  special  summons,  from  the  country.  He  was  much 
overcome  at  the  sight  of  her,  and  the  following  con- 
versation ensued.  While  she  was  speaking  to  him 
on  the  state  in  which  she  found  him,  he  interrupted  her 
by  saying,  "  You  must  not  think  of  your  father  but  as 
a  poor  miserable  sinner,  lost  and  undone  but  for  the 
merits  of  his  God  and  Saviour.  On  this  very  bed  I 
have  had  great  exercises  of  mind  :  such  views  of  the 
responsibilities  of  my  office,  and  of  my  own  deficiency, 
short-comings,  lost  opportunities,  that  I  have  been 
almost  tempted  to  doubt  whether  I  am  His  servant!" 
She  said  to  him,  "  But  I  hope,  now  that  you  arc  laid 
here,  God  comforts  your  heart."  "  I  wish  to  have 
no  comfort,"  he  replied,  "  but  that  which  springs  from 
an  assurance  that  I  have  an  interest  in  the  Covenant 
of  Christ  Jesus  to  penitent  sinners."  She  said,  "  That 
is  the  comfort  that  I  mean ;  and  have  you  not  had 
that  now  ? "  "  Yes,  I  have  ;  and  He  gives  me  perfect 
peace,"  he  replied.  She  said,  "And  He  lays  beneath 
you  His  everlasting  arms?"  and  he  answered,  "Yes, 
He  does  indeed  ! " 

Saturday,  Sept.  14^/i — Early  in  the  morning  he  called 
my  sister,  and  said,  "  Bring  a  pencil  and  paper :  I 
wish  you  to  add  something  to  the  daily  family  prayers 


416  LAST  ILLNESS.  [CuAr.  XX. 

for  me,  and  I  will  tell  you  what  to  say  while  you 
write  it  down."  He  then  dictated  the  following 
petitions : — 

"  Thou  knowest,  O  Lord,  our  peculiar  trouble  at 
this  time.  Thou  hast  laid  Thy  hand  on  him  who 
has  been  long  accustomed  to  lead  our  minds  in  their 
daily  approaches  to  Thy  Throne  of  Grace  ;  but  Thou 
hast  been  pleased  to  lay  him  upon  a  bed  of  exceeding 
weakness,  and  he  desires  now  by  our  mouths  to  pour 
out  his  petitions  before  Thee,  and  we  humbly  and 
heartily  desire  to  plead  for  him  in  the  name  of  Tliy 
dear  Son,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

"Our  dear  father  feels  the  greatness  and  glory 
of  the  office,  to  which  Thou  hast  called  him  for  many 
years ;  and  as  he  approaches  the  time  when  he  knows 
that  he  must  give  an  account  of  his  stewardship  to 
his  blessed  Lord,  he  feels  and  laments  numberless 
opportunities  of  speaking  for  Him  and  labouring  for 
Him,  which  were  neglected,  or  superficially  embraced. 
He  casts  himself  entirely  upon  the  atoning  sacrifice 
of  Thy  beloved  Son,  and  prays  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
may  witness  to  his  heart  the  virtue  of  that  atoning 
sacrifice  in  answering  for  him  the  condemnation  of 
the  Holy  Law  ;  and  he  pleads  before  Thee  the  per- 
fect obedience  to  the  Law  of  Thy  Son  our  Saviour 
even  unto  death,  as  the  only  ground  of  title  unto  life 
everlasting. 

"  We  pray  that  Thou  wouldst  fulfil  to  him  those 
blessed  words  which  Thy  holy  Lawgiver  uttered  over 
Israel,  'The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  under- 
neath  are   the    everlasting   arms.     Israel    then   shall 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  417 

dwell  in  safety  alone,  O  people,  saved  by  the  Lord, 
the  shield  of  thy  help.  O  let  that  blessing,  that 
Aaron  and  his  sons  were  directed  to  pronounce  upon 
Israel,  rest  on  the  head  of  our  dear  father :  '  The  Lord 
bless  thee,  and  keep  thee ;  the  Lord  make  His  face  to 
shine  upon  thee,  and  be  gracious  unto  thee  ;  the  Lord 
lift  up  His  countenance  upon  thee,  and  give  thee 
peace.'  " 

He  then  dictated  the  following  words,  in  which  he 
desired  the  prayers  of  the  congregation  : — 

"  The  Minister  of  this  parish,  who  is  suffering 
under  great  bodily  weakness,  earnestly  requests  for 
himself  the  prayers  of  the  congregation,  that  the  Lord 
would  be  graciously  pleased  to  restore  him  to  the 
exercise  of  his  ministry,  and  make  him  instrumental 
of  bringing  very  many  more  of  his  dear  parishioners  to 
the  saving  knowledge  of  Christ,  as  their  only  atoning 
sacrifice  and  righteousness  before  God ;  and  to  entire 
reliance  on  the  life-giving,  renewing,  and  sanctifying 
power  of  the  Spirit,  to  render  them  meet  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven." 

On  my  coming  into  the  room  afterwards,  he  wished 
me  to  read  the  foregoing  form  for  requesting  the 
prayers  of  the  congregation,  which  I  did ;  when  he 
added,  "  I  wish  that  to  be  considered  as  my  testimony 
against  the  mischievous  doctrines  of  those  deluded  men 
who  are  threatening  the  vitality  of  the  Church,  and 
as  conveying  to  the  people  the  doctrines  which  I  feel 
to  be  most  precious  to  my  own  soul  at  this  time.  I 
feel  that  all  must  be  ascribed  to  the  free  love  of  God 
— to  His  election  of  us.     Where   St.  John  speaks  of 

E  E 


418  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

the  love  of  God,  lie  means  to  speak  of  His  election  of 
us ;  though  I  ^YOuld  not  say  this  to  any  one's  dis- 
comfort." 

I  observed,  "  Yon  nmst  have  been  very  glad  to  see 
Charlotte  : "  he  replied,  "  Yes ;  but  I  am  glad  to  see 
all  your  faces ;  every  countenance  is  a  comfort  to 
me  ;  they  are  all  as  the  faces  of  angels."  In  the 
course  of  this  afternoon  he  thought  much  of  friends, 
and  named  some  of  them  ;  among  others,  the  Ladies 
of  the  District  Visiting  Society:  and  he  saw  two 
or  three  friends,  including  his  brother-in-law,  Mr. 
Joshua  Jowett,  to  whose  family  he  sent  the  follow- 
ing affectionate  message :  "  Remember  me  to  your 
dear  wife,  and  all  your  dear  children :  God  bless 
them  all !  I  hope  they  will,  every  one  of  them,  give 
themselves  to  Him.  Let  them  be  very  zealous  in 
living  close  to  God  ;  watchful  against  the  enemy  and 
this  evil  world."  He  expressed  a  wish  to  see  every 
one  who  called,  —  "that  I  may  say  something  for 
the  good  of  their  souls." 

Dr.  Farre  saw  him  this  evening,  for  the  first  time. 
He  intimated  to  me  afterwards,  on  my  questioning 
him,  that  my  father's  state  was  "critical,"  and  pro- 
hibited his  seeing  friends.  On  learning  this  prohi- 
bition, he  charged  his  family  that  no  one  should  be 
permitted  to  leave  the  house  without  being  told,  that 
he  earnestly  requested  their  prayers  for  the  presence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  heart,  to  witness  to  him  that 
he  was  accepted  in  Christ.  He  asked  what  the 
Doctor  thought  of  his  case,  and  was  answered  that  he 
said  but  little  ;  on  which  he  observed,  "Ah  ;  he  thinks 


1344.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  I  I ,) 

the  case  desperate!"  While  watching  by  him  this 
afternoon,  I  had  some  conversation  with  him  about 
my  brother  John.  His  feelings  were  much  moved 
at  the  recollection  of  him ;  and  on  recovering,  he 
said,  "  Tell  him  that  the  course  in  which  he  has  been 
led,  and  the  grace  by  which  he  has  been  sustained, 
have  been  a  great  comfort  to  me." 

On  Sunday,  Sept.  15,  in  the  afternoon,  Dr.  Farre 
paid  him  a  short  visit,  but  left  him  with  a  text  upon 
his  mind,  to  which,  with  the  anecdote  accompanying 
it,  he  afterwards  referred  with  much  pleasure.  On 
learning  from  my  father  how  he  felt,  the  Doctor  said  : 
"  My  youngest  son  is  now  seven  years  of  age,  and  he 
said  to  his  mother  one  day,  ^  Well,  after  all,  I  think  I 
will  be  a  preacher.'  '  And  what  shall  you  preach 
about,  my  dear  ?'  his  mother  said.  '  God  is  well  known 
in  her  palaces  for  a  sure  refuge,'  was  the  answer :" 
with  which  the  Doctor  shook  hands  with  my  father,  and 
retired.  My  father  seemed  animated  with  the  subject, 
and  said,  "  If  the  sermon  is  as  good  as  the  text,  it  will 
be  a  capital  one :"  and  when  I  came  into  the  room  he 
said,  "  How  wonderfully  the  providence  of  God  works ; 
He  permitted  that  little  child  to  say  a  thing  which 
quite  came  home  to  my  heart,  and  will  probably  be 
the  comfort  of  many  others." 

Mondai/,  Sept.  16 — One  of  my  sisters  was  sitting  by 
him  quietly  for  some  time  this  morning,  after  which 
he  remarked,  "We  must  not  think  of  heaven  as  a  place 
where  there  is  nothing  to  do.  There  will  be  service 
for  God  there  ;  l3ut  it  will  all  be  holy.  Oh,  if  I  may 
but  be  a  hewer  of  wood  in  the  spiritual  temple  !"  and, 

E  e2 


420  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

on  her  referring  to  the  freedom  from  sin  as  a  hindrance, 
he  repeated  with  great  emphasis — 

"  O  glorious  hour  !    O  1)lest  abode ! 
I  shall  be  near  and  like  my  God  : 
And  flesh  and  sin  no  more  controul 
The  sacred  pleasures  of  my  soul !" 

He  asked  to  have  the  first  chapter  of  the  Revelation 
read  to  him.  On  hearing  that  part  which  describes  the 
Apostle's  feelings  when  falling  at  the  feet  of  the  angel, 
my  father  said,  "  The  first  sight  which  a  pure  and  holy 
being  has  of  the  Saviour  must  be  almost  overwhelm- 
ing!" He  went  on  in  the  same  strain,  expressing 
his  desire  that  he  might  enjoy  that  sight, — that  the 
Lord  would  prepare  him  for  it.  On  the  remark 
being  made,  "  A  sense  of  His  presence  here  is  a 
kind  of  foretaste  of  it,"  he  replied,  "  Very  weak." 
Referring  again,  in  the  afternoon,  to  the  subject  upon 
which  he  had  dwelt  in  the  morning,  he  said  to  my 
dear  wife,  "  Perhaps  the  Saviour  has  some  work  for 
me  to  do  in  heaven,  which  I  was  not  willing  to  do 
on  earth.  There  may  be  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers 
of  water  there :  if  it  is  so,  I  shall  be  most  thankful 
to  be  one  of  them."  "  Yes,"  she  replied,  "  the  lowest 
place  there  will  be  abundant  happiness ;"  to  which 
he  fully  assented. 

On  Tuesday^  Sept.  17,  the  Service  for  the  Visitation 
of  the  Sick  was  read  to  him,  to  which  he  listened  very 
attentively,  frequently  responding  with  an  impressive 
"Amen!"  and  solemnly  enunciating  after  the  Creed, 
"  All  this  I  stedfastly  believe." 

Wednesday,  Sept.  18  —  After  a  restless  night,  op- 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  .i'2\ 

pressed  with  a  sense  of  inward  heat  and  siifTocation, 
at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  he  desired  to  have  the 
22d  chapter  of  the  Revelation  read  to  him,  saying  to 
one  of  my  sisters  who  was  sitting  by  him,  "  I  want  the 
water  of  life  abundantly.  I  take  large  draughts  of 
this  (alluding  to  the  water  which  was  continually  given 
to  him,  to  allay  his  thirst),  but  they  are  not  satisfying. 
Oh,  pray  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  poured  out  abun- 
dantly on  my  soul !"  An  hour  after,  he  wished  to  hear 
it  again ;  and  when  the  17th  verse  was  read,  "The  Spirit 
and  the  bride  say.  Come  :  and  let  him  that  heareth  say, 
Come  :  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come :  and  whoso- 
ever will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely,"  he  said 
feebly,  "  I — tvill — come — and  take  freely — of  the  water 
— of  life — for  my  soul's  preparation  for  the  eternal  life 
— asleep  in  Jesus  I — dying  in  Christ ! — falling  asleep 
in  Jesus!"  He  dwelt  very  much  upon  the  1st  and 
17th  verses  of  this  chapter  to-day ;  and  after  hearing 
them  again,  he  said,  "  The  solace  of  all  woe  ! — the  joy 
of  eternity ! — Oh,  my  soul  longeth  for  one  draught  of 
that  water,  clear  as  crystal !"  raising  his  hand  solemnly 
at  each  of  the  above  pauses. 

This  day  he  asked  me,  if  there  was  any  thing  parti- 
cular in  the  parish.  I  told  him  of  various  sick  persons 
who  were  then  under  visitation :  he  inquired  about 
several  particularly,  and  added,  "  Prosecute  your  work 
with  the  poor."  He  then  took  firmly  hold  of  my 
hand,  and,  looking  stedfastly  at  me,  said,  "  I  pray 
God,  Josiah,  to  make  you  a  constant  and  faithful 
witness  for  Christ :  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season  :  pray  much  :  walk  closely  in  communion  with 


122  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

God."  Me  kept  hold  of  my  hand,  and,  when  I  was 
leaving,  he  re-called  me,  again  took  hold  of  me,  and 
looked  at  me  without  speaking. 

Thursday,  Sept.  19  —  Being  desirous  of  seeing  cer- 
tain friends,  but  reminded  that  he  was  prohibited  by 
the  physician,  he  said,  "  But  I  want  to  do  what  it 
becomes  me  in  this  situation — to  warn  others — to 
reprove  others — to  stir  up  others." 

This  morning  we  received  from  Norwich  a  supply 
of  grapes,  and  a  note  from  my  sister  Caroline,  in  which 
she  expressed  her  affectionate  anxiety  to  minister  to  his 
comfort,  and  a  hope  that  this  present  might  suggest 
to  his  mind  a  new  topic  of  consolation, — quoting  the 
following  passages  relating  to  the  fruit  of  the  vine. 
*'  I  am  the  Vine,  ye  are  the  branches ;  abide  in  me  and 
I  in  you  :"  and,  "  I  will  no  more  drink  of  this  fruit  of 
the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I  drink  it  new  with  you 
in  my  Father's  kingdom."  She  also  reminded  him 
that  it  was  Christ's  own  given  emblem  of  His  precious 
blood,  in  which  might  we  all,  through  infinite  mercy, 
be  washed  !  Her  message  was  read  to  him,  and  it 
drew  tears  from  his  eyes  :  though  he  said  nothing  till 
he  was  asked,  while  taking  some  of  the  grapes,  whether 
they  were  nice ;  when  he  replied,  "  Every  thing  is 
nice  that  comes  from  the  hand  of  love,  and  these  come 
with  a  sacraiiumtcd  sicjnification ;"  and  he  afterwards 
often  alluded  to  the  emblem  with  comfort. 

A  little  while  after  this,  he  asked  for  the  passage 
about  David's  three  mighty  men,  who  went  through 
the  host  of  the  Philistines  to  bring  him  water  from  the 
well  of  Bethleliem,  to  which  he  very  often  afterwards 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  4-23 

referred  when  refreshing  himself  with  a  cooling  draught 
of  water.     At  the  same  time  he  was  reminded  of  the 
Spiritual  Rock  which  followed  the  Israelites  through 
the   wilderness,    I  Cor.   x.  4 ;     when   he   remarked, 
"Whence  we  may  gather,  that  Christ  was  an  ordinance 
to  them  all  through  the  wilderness.     They  actually 
had  that  sacrament  in  their  consecrated  water ;  and 
Christ,  the  heavenly  manna,  was  living  bread  to  their 
souls."     He  afterwards  spoke    with    reference  to  his 
own  meditations,  as  "  delightful  views  of  what  will  take 
place  as  soon  as  we  set  foot  in  eternity — water  of  life 
— the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb — all  through  the 
electing  love   of  God ! "     When  he  looked  off  from 
himself,  the  free  actings  of  his  faith  were  very  observ- 
able.    In  the  evening  of  the  same  day  some  of  the 
family  sang  some  hymns  in  his  room,  by  his  desire, 
beginning  with  *'  Oh  come,  Thou  wounded  Lamb  of 
God  !"  which  was  proposed  by  himself.     "  Raise  your 
triumphant  songs,"  was  then  suggested  ;   but  my  father 
said,  that  he  would  rather  have  something  of  a  more 
penitential   kind.     "When   I   survey    the    wondrous 
Cross  "  having  been  proposed,  he  said,  **  We  cannot  do 
better."     He  seemed  much  to  enjoy  the  singing,  and 
attempted  to  join,  though  in  a  feeble,  broken  voice. 
It  appeared   afterwards    that   he   supposed  it  to  be 
Sunday  evening ;  and  from  the  failure  of  memory  he 
was  continually  mistaking  the   days.     After   this  he 
said,  "A  sick  chamber  is  a  place  for  faith;  if  you 
have  not  faith,  you  had  better  not  come  here :"  and 
then  alluded  to  a  well-known  work,  lately  published. 


424  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

on  the  sick-chamber,  as  being  "  so  cold  and  unchris- 
tian, with  no  reference  to  the  Atonement." 

Frkhij/,  Se2)t.  20 — This  morning,  my  father  having 
been  told  that  we  should  be  writing  to  my  sister  and 
brother-in-law  in  New  Zealand,  and  asked  whether 
he  had  any  message  to  them,  he  said,  "  Describe  how 
I  am  lying  here ;  that  that  limb  will  probably  go : 
it  may  recover :  I  may  have  the  use  of  it  partially 
for  a  time,  but  it  is  not  at  all  certain :  that  while  1 
am  so  debilitated  in  the  leg  and  arm,  I  must  cease  all 
public  activity.  I  am  very  heartily  glad  that  I  have 
been  drawn  into  activity  so  many  years,  and  wish  I 
could  continue  to  the  end ;  but  the  will  of  the  Lord 
be  done  !  Tell  Sampson  and  Marianne  both,  that  I 
have  never  ceased  to  pray  for  them  by  name.  Tell 
Emerton  *  that  I  remember  her  in  my  prayers  by  name, 
and  the  children  name  by  name ;  and  I  bless  her  for 
all  the  kindness  that  she  has  shewn  to  Marianne,  and 
for  the  comfort  that  Marianne  has  had  in  her :  and  I 
hope  Marianne  feels  the  comfort  of  the  text  which  I 
gave  her — ^I  will  hope'  in  the  Lord  'continually.' 
It  is  marked  in  my  Bible." 

This  morning  Mr.  T.  Simcox  Lea  went  up  to  see  my 
father,  and  was  much  struck  with  his  altered  appear- 
ance in  consequence  of  this  illness,  and  thought  him 
sinking  fast.  He  spoke  in  a  very  humble  strain  of 
his  own  feelings,  and  state,  and  past  course  ;  and  spoke 
with  animation  to  Mr.  Lea  about  his  future  course  of 

*  A  faithful  old  servant  in  my  father's  family,  who  had  nursed  Mrs. 
Kempthorne  from  her  birtli,  and  accompanied  her  to  New  Zealand. 


1S44.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  425 

life,  improving  his  means  of  usefulness — his  influence 
with  others.  This  was  all  in  a  very  low  tone  of  voice, 
from  his  great  weakness. 

Saturday^  Sept.  21 — My  dear  father  sank  so  much, 
that  he  appeared  almost  going.     My  uncle,  the  Rev. 
William  Jowett,  called  and  saw  him  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  said  little,  but  left  with  him  the  text — "  God  be 
merciful    to    me    a   sinner."      My  father    afterwards 
spoke  of  this  text  with  pleasure.     In  the  evening  of 
this  day  of  extreme  exhaustion,  the  following  conver- 
sation passed  between  him  and  one  of  my  sisters  who 
was  fanning  him,  as  we  were  often  obliged  to  do.     He 
said,  "  My   life   seems  divided    between   bodily   and 
mental  anguish.     The  bodily  is  very  much  alleviated 
by  the  bountiful  goodness  of  God,  in  providing  such 
kind  friends  and  helps."     He  paused  awhile,  and  she 
replied,  "  And  I  hope    God    comforts    your  soul    to 
alleviate   the  mental  anguish?"     "Yes,   I  think  He 
does,"  he  said.     She  added,  "  When  you  were  lying 
still  so  long  this  morning,  I  hoped  God  was  speaking 
words  of  peace  and  comfort  to  you."     "  Yes,  I  think 
He  did,"  he  answered  :  "  nothing  but  a  revelation  from 
God  can  make  me  say  I  am  a  pardoned  sinner,  pre- 
pared for  eternal  life."     "  Do  you  long  for  heaven  ? " 
"  Yes,  indeed  I  do,  if  I  can  but  feel  prepared :  Oh 
what  a  song  shall   I  sing  then  !     Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest !     Everlasting  thanks  to  Jesus  ! " 

He  spoke  much  to-day  of  his  wish,  that  we  should  all 
partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  with  him  on  the  morrow. 

Sunday,  Sept.  22 — On  my  mother  asking  him  how 
he  felt,  he  said,  "  How  do  you   mean,  my  mind  or 


■[•26  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

body?"  She  said,  "I  then  meant,  were  you  more 
comfortable  in  your  bodily  feelings"  (for  he  had  been 
very  restless  in  the  night  from  heat  and  thirst).  He 
said  he  was  easy ;  but  added,  "  I  deeply  feel,  that 
all  these  kind  attentions  to  the  body  will  not  be 
needed  long.  I  thirst  and  am  refreshed,  but  soon  I 
thirst  again :  but  it  will  soon  be  over.  The  body  is 
of  no  consequence.  It  is  the  importance  of  the  life  of 
the  soul  that  I  wish  to  impress  upon  you.  The 
immortal  life  must  be  sustained.  I  more  and  more 
feel  the  importance  of  living  near  to  God,  and  seeking 
the  quickening  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  This 
afternoon  we  all  partook  of  the  Lord's  Supper  with 
him. 

Monday,  Sept.  23  —  Mr.  Bickersteth's  name  was 
announced,  and  my  mother  came  up  to  see  if  my  dear 
father  could  bear  a  short  visit  from  him.  He  said, 
"Yes,  I  should  like  to  hear  his  voice;  it  will  refresh 
me."  Mr.  Bickersteth  came  up,  and  my  father  put 
out  his  hand  to  shake  his,  while  Mr.  Bickersteth  said 
to  him,  "  My  dear  Mr.  Pratt,  the  Lord  is  good — a 
stronghold  in  the  day  of  trouble."  My  father  ex- 
pressed his  feelings  in  so  feeble  a  manner,  that  Mr. 
Bickersteth  could  not  hear  his  observations,  till  one  of 
my  sisters,  who  was  accustomed  to  his  weak  voice, 
repeated  them  as  he  uttered  them.  They  were  mostly 
of  that  humble,  self-abasing  character,  which  was  such 
a  prevailing  feature  of  his  mind.  He  mourned  over 
his  distance  from  God,  and  said,  among  other  things, 
"  The  reason  that  I  cannot  now  always  feel  that  God 
is  mine  and  I  am   His  is,  because  I  did  not  come  to 


1S44.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  427 

Him  before,  as  I  ought  to  liave  done.  I  now  feel  that 
all  my  prayers  in  health  were  of  a  very  superficial 
character.  All  my  support  is  in  the  publican's  con- 
fession, *  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner ! '  "  Mr. 
Bickersteth  spoke  much  to  him  on  looking /rom  him- 
self to  Jesus,  w^ho  has  made  our  peace  with  God,  and 
reconciled  us  to  Him  with  His  own  blood  :  and  quoted 
many  encouraging  texts,  to  which  my  father  listened 
with  all  the  teachableness  of  a  child.  It  was  quite 
striking,  to  see  the  two  experienced  Christian  friends 
and  brother-ministers  taking,  as  it  might  be,  their  last 
farewell  of  each  other.  Mr.  Bickersteth  reminded 
him,  however,  that  he  had  himself  been  laid  aside 
with  a  somewhat  similar  attack,  and  had  recovered, 
and  he  trusted  God  would  raise  him  up  also.  But 
my  father  pointed  to  his  arm  and  then  said,  "  Look  here  ; 
here  is  an  arm^o«e,  and  a  leg  gone .'"  To  my  mother, 
who  w^ent  down  stairs  with  him,  Mr.  Bickersteth  stated 
that  he  was  quite  delighted  with  his  interview,  and 
said  that  Mr.  Pratt  was  just  in  the  state  of  mind  in 
which  he  could  wish  to  see  him — ^just  that  in  which 
an  old  veteran  should  be ;  and  added,  that  he  was 
regarded  by  all  as  a  father  in  Israel.* 


*  Mr.  Bickersteth,  in  his  Funeral  Surnion,  remarks  of  Mr.'l'ratt : — 
"  He  was  always  moderate  in  his  expression  of  his  own  religious  feelings, 
and  afraid  of  uttering  a  word  more  than  his  conscious  experience  at  tho 
moment  would  strictly  warrant.  Of  this  measured  and  cautious  disposi- 
tion in  regard  to  his  language  he  gave  very  remarkable  instances  in  his 
last  daya.  He  had  joyful  and  even  triumphant  feelings,  yet  when  ques- 
tioned he  would  not  testify  it,  but  repeatedly  answered,  '  If  I  were  to  say 
more  than  I  do,  I  should  be  deceiving  you,'  &c." 


42^  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

In  reference  to  the  prayer  of  the  publican,  I  may 
here  mention,  how  strikingly  the  circumstance  of  its 
now  being  often  on  his  lips  illustrates  a  remark  of 
liis  own,  in  a  sermon  preached  by  him  in  1829  at 
St  Lawrence's,  and  with  which  we  hav€  been  favoured 
by  one  of  his  old  attendants ;  who  writes,  "  Ever  since 
his  illness  I  have  had  upon  my  mind  one  of  his  own 
sentiments  delivered  in  one  of  the  valued  sermons  at 
St.  Lawrence  Jewry,  one  Wednesday  evening  in  1829. 
^  Growth  in  grace  does  not  consist  in  laying  aside  the 
prayer  of  the  publican,  but  in  crying  with  ten  thou- 
sand fold  more  earnestness  than  ever,  God  be  merciful 
to  me  a  sinner ! '  " 

This  week  most  serious  and  distressing  symptoms 
appeared  in  the  case,  which  much  increased  his  suffer- 
ings. He  mentioned  to  me  one  day  that  he  felt  his 
situation  very  humiliating.  I  told  him  that  it  was  pro- 
bably designed  of  God  to  perfect  his  patience,  and 
quoted,  "  Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work,  that  ye 
may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing ;"  in 
which  he  most  heartily  acquiesced,  and  prayed  for 
grace  to  be  patient. 

Tuesday,  Sept.  24  —  In  the  course  of  to-day,  my 
father  heard  an  affectionate  letter  received  from  one 
of  his  brothers  in  the  country,  in  which  he  alluded  to 
some  circumstances  connected  with  their  father's 
death,  and  mentioned  his  enjoyment,  in  his  last  illness, 
of  the  well-known  hymn — 

"  Jesus,  I  love  Thy  charming  name !  " 

My  father  was  much  affected  at   hearing  tlie  letter, 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  429 

and  sent  an  affectionate  message  in  return;  but  in 
conversation  afterwards,  on  hearing  the  hymn  just 
mentioned  read  to-him,  he  made  the  following  remarks 
upon  it,  with  great  clearness  and  energy  :  "  I  have  an 
objection  to  that  hymn ;  all  those  kind  of  comparisons 
about  gold  and  jewels  are,  I  don't  say  out  of  the 
question,  because  most  of  them  are,  in  some  respects, 
scriptural ;  but  they  don't  convey  any  idea  to  me. 
Give  me  ten  millions  a  year,  compare  that  to  Christ, 
it  is  all  worthless:  it  is  not  a  fit  subject  of  comparison. 
His  qualifications  and  ofifices  and  relations  to  us  are  of 
another  kind.  Then  I  have  an  objection  to  such  very 
strong  declarations  about — 'Music  is  not  half  so 
sweet,'  and  Might  not  half  so  pleasant.'  Light  is 
pleasant  to  a  man  in  a  way  very  different  from  what 
Jesus  is,  and  so  is  music :  each  in  their  way  is  very 
good;  but  they  are  not  to  be  compared.  These 
things  rather  trouble  me  :  they  set  me  on  looking  for 
comparisons,  which  convey  nothing  to  me."  On  its 
being  remarked  to  him,  "  Yes,  you  like  to  go  straight 
to  Christ  as  what  He  is — suitable  to  the  soul," — he 
replied,  with  peculiar  energy,  "  Yes,  there  He  is ! — 
there  He  shines!"  He  soon  continued,  "  And  yet  I 
would  be  very  careful  of  running  that  opinion  too 
hard,  because  I  see  that  there  are  such  Divine  com- 
parisons in  Revelation."  On  being  asked  whether  he 
meant  in  the  Book  of  Revelation,  or  in  Scripture  gene- 
rally, he  said,  "  I  mean  the  Book  of  St.  John."  He 
added,  "  Now  be  very  careful  in  what  I  say  to  you  of 
these  things,  because  I  must  be  careful  not  to  mislead 
you."      My   father  had   very    lately   been    diligently 


130  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

reading,  with  much  interest,  the  first  two  volumes  of 
the  Rev.  E.  B.  Elliott's  work  on  the  Apocalypse,  which 
was,  no  doubt,  the  occasion  of  this  allusion  to  that 
part  of  Scripture.  His  illness  prevented  his  pro- 
ceeding with  the  work. 

This  afternoon,  he  was  much  interested  in  hearing 
of  a  very  kind  visit  to  the  family  from  the  Rev.  George 
Lea  and  Mrs.  Lea,  of  Birmingham ;  and  on  hearing  that 
Mr.  Lea  had  remarked,  in  reference  to  my  father's 
state  of  mind,  that  we  do  not  always  look  for  joy,  that 
it  is  peace  and  the  assurance  of  faith  that  we  must 
look  for,  my  father  looked  earnestly  and  said,  "  St. 
Peter  speaks  of  joy  and  peace  in  believing :  where 
faith  is  in  lively  exercise,  there  will  be  that."  It  was 
then  observed  to  him,  "  You  have  felt  that  formerly, 
but  now  the  body  affects  the  mind — the  body  presses 
down  the  soul."  He  replied  with  much  emphasis,  and 
in  a  tone  of  holy  resignation,  "  All  is  with  the  Lord — 
the  eternal  God — the  King  of  saints — immortal,  invi- 
sible, the  only  wise  God." 

Tuesday,  Sept.  24 — To-day  my  uncle,  the  Rev.  John 
Jowett,  came  to  town,  on  account  of  my  father's  state  ; 
and  returned  with  the  conviction,  after  having  had 
interviews  with  the  medical  attendants,  that  it  was  not 
likely  to  prove  a  lingering  case,  though  he  scarcely 
apprehended  so  speedy  a  close. 

Saturday,  Sept.  28 — Allusion  being  again  made  to 
his  helpless  condition,  my  mother  said,  "  This  is  a 
very  humbling  dispensation  to  you,  but  it  is  meant  for 
your  profit."  He  replied,  "  Yes,  it  is  very  trying  ; 
but  do  not  any  of  you   tliink   that  I   murmur  when  I 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  431 

express  my  feelings.  I  delight  to  lie  at  His  feet,  and 
to  bear  all  that  He  is  pleased  to  lay  upon  me.  Pray 
for  me,  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  submit  to  His  hand." 
She  said, "  We  do  pray  for  you  ;  and  I  think  our  prayers 
have  already  been  answered,  in  the  patient  submission 
that  you  feel  to  the  will  of  God,  which  could  only  be 
given  you  by  His  Holy  Spirit." 

Chapman's  newly-invented  patent  couch  for  invalids 
was  this  evening  introduced,  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
medical  attendant,  and  proved  a  most  valuable  allevia- 
tion to  his  sufferings.  We  must  acknowledge  also, 
with  much  gratitude,  the  constant  and  unwearied 
attention  of  his  medical  friends,  which  often  drew 
forth  expressions  of  thankfulness  from  my  dear 
father. 

Sunday,  Sept.  29 — :To-day  a  hymn  was  read  to  him, 
which  he  first  heard  last  Sunday,  and  which  he  parti- 
cularly enjoyed,  and  often  asked  for  afterwards, 
"  God  of  mercy  and  compassion."  The  last  two  lines 
particularly  attracted  his  attention — 

"  Righteousness,  Divine  Atonement, 
Peace  and  Everlasting  Love." 

On  hearing  it  to-day  he  said,  "  It  is  a  remarkable 
hymn :  it  goes  from  one  thing  to  another,  and  is  so 
much  the  exercise  of  my  own  mind — what  I  have 
passed  through."  After  a  pause  he  said,  referring  to 
the  last  lines  of  the  hymn,  "  Righteousness,  the  want  of 
it :  Divine  Atonement,  the  only  refuge.  What  next  ?" 
On  the  line  being  repeated,  ''  Peace  and  everlasting 
love,"  he  continued,  "Peace,  when  the  conflict  is  over  ; 


432  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

and  wliat  can  hold  up  a  poor  sinner  in  the  hope  of 
heaven  ? "  After  a  pause  he  added,  "  Righteousness 
and  Divine  Atonement,"  his  memory  perhaps  not  sup- 
plying the  words  "  Everlasting  Love." 

My  dear  father  w'as  much  more  comfortable  to-day  ; 
and  I  must  confess,  that  I  felt  encouraged  to  cherish 
some  hopes  of  his  partial  recovery ;  which,  however, 
were  soon  to  be  checked  again. 

Monday,  Sept.  30 — Yesterday  I  preached  on  "  I\Iy 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee,"  and  stated  that  my  dear 
father  was  much  supported :  to  this  he  alludes  at 
the  end  of  the  following  conversation,  which  passed  this 
morning  between  him  and  one  of  my  sisters,  who  had 
not  been  at  church  on  that  occasion.  "  When  friends 
come  to  inquire  after  me,  how  do  you  speak  of  my  state 
before  God?"  "  That  you  are  lying  at  the  foot  of  the 
Cross :  that  you  are  humbly  trusting  that  God  will  par- 
don and  accept  you,  through  His  Son  Jesus  Christ : 
and  that  you  earnestly  beg  all  your  friends  to  pray,  that 
God's  Holy  Spirit  may  witness  to  your  heart  that  you 
are  accepted.  Is  that  right?"  "  Yes  ;  and  that  I  am 
thankful  for  His  great  mercies.  No  ;  that  I  am  lying 
in  His  hands,  and  am  thankful  for  many  mercies,  but 
waiting  for  His  greatest  mercy,  eternal  life.  If  I  were 
to  say  more  than  1  do,  I  should  be  deceiving  you.  Do 
you  say  that  Josiah  exhorted  the  people  from  me 
yesterday?"  "  No  ;  he  told  the  congregation,  how  the 
grace  of  God  was  manifested  to  be  sufficient  to  carry 
you  through  this  illness  ;  but  I  do  not  know  the  exact 
words."  "  Then  desire  him  to  tell  me  what  he  said,  and 
that  I  wish  him  to  exhort  them  to  live  close  to  God." 


1844.]  LAST   ILLNESS.  433 

This  morning  my  uncle,  Mr.  Isaac  Pratt,  went  up  to 
see  my  father ;  who  said  a  few  words  about  his  own 
state,  and  expressed  his  brotherly  affection  toward 
him  and  my  aunt;  but  he  was  in  too  exhausted  a 
state  to  speak  much. 

He  had  repeatedly  asked  after  my  own  little  children, 
of  whom  he  had  always  taken  much  notice,  from  their 
living  so  near ;  and  this  morning  my  dear  wife,  at  his 
own  request,  brought  them  in  to  see  him.  He  shook 
hands  with  them,  and  kissed  them,  and  said,  "  Pray  for 
me."  "  Yes,"  their  mamma  said, "  they  do  pray  for  you." 
"  Here  I  am,"  he  continued,  "  lying  here  :  I  have  lost 
the  use  of  two  of  my  limbs,  but  God  has  put  it  into 
the  hearts  of  these  kind  friends  round  me  to  nurse 
me.  Jesus  Christ  is  my  Saviour,  and  He  is  your 
Saviour.  I  have  been  in  very  great  pain — almost  in 
torture  ;  but  God  has  held  me  up  in  these  deep  waters. 
I  might  have  murmured  and  repined ;  but  God  has 
not  suffered  me."  After  some  pause  he  said,  with  em- 
phasis, "Jane  and  James,  think  of  your  prayers:  dont 
let  them  be  mere  words,  but  let  them  come  from  the 
heart;  and  pray  for  your  dear  little  sister,  that  she 
may  be  a  lover  of  Jesus  Christ." 

Tuesday y  Oct.  1 — One  of  my  sisters  was  with  him 
alone  this  morning,  and  he  asked  her  to  sing  to  him 
the  Morning  Hymn,  which  she  did;  but  he  found  him- 
self entirely  unable  to  join,  as  he  had  done  on  two 
former  occasions.  He  had  even  then  sung  more 
with  the  heart  than  with  the  voice,  for  they  were 
but  few  and  feeble  sounds  that  he  had  been  able  to 
utter. 

V  P 


134  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

Wedncsdm/,  Oct.  2 — My  uncle,  the  Rev.  Joscpli  Jowett, 
came  to  town  yesterday,  and  had  a  short  interview 
with  my  father  this  morning,  in  the  course  of  which 
he  told  him  that  he  was  going  to  see  Mr.  Brandram. 
"  Give  my  love  to  him,"  my  father  said,  "  and  I  hope  his 
manly  form  will  be  preserved  for  many  years."  My  uncle 
added,  "  He  was  very  much  interested,  when  I  told  him 
of  your  state  :  he  seems  to  be  anticipating  evil  days, 
which  he  says  you  will  escape."  Here  my  mother  said, 
that  my  father  had  been  talking  of  evil  days  since  his 
illness ;  and  that  the  thoughts  of  them  had  troubled  him 
very  much.  My  father,  however,  did  not  carry  this 
on,  being  in  a  very  weak  state.  My  uncle  said,  "  I 
fear  you  cannot  think  much,  can  you?"  "No,"  he 
replied.  "  But  then  you  don't  feel  the  want  of  thinking  : 
you  have  an  abiding  sense  that  you  are  in  better 
hands."  His  reply  was  very  indistinct,  but  it  ended 
with,  "  If  we  lived  more  according  to  our  obligations, 
we  should  be  a  better  race  of  people."  On  taking 
leave,  he  held  my  uncle's  hand  firmly,  and  said 
earnestly,  "Pray  for  me,  that  all  my  sins  may  be 
forgiven."  "  Yes  ;  oh  yes  ! "  my  uncle  replied,  "  I 
doubt  not  that  they  are  :  they  were  all  blotted  out 
1800  years  ago  completely,"  alluding  to  the  purchase 
of  redemption  having  been  then  actually  paid. 

Saturday,  Oct.  5 — Early  this  morning  he  sent  for 
one  of  my  sisters,  who  came  after  some  unavoidable 
delay  ;  when  he  said  to  her,  "  Minutes  are  hours  to 
me.  I  want  spiritual  food  for  my  soul — refreshment 
for  my  soul."  He  then  wished  to  hear  some  of  the 
Hymns  on  Sickness,  in  his  Collection  of  Private  and 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  435 

Social  Hymns,  saying,  "There  is  a  long  list  of  them." 
She  read  one  on  "  Submission  under  Sickness,"  "  The 
cup  of  sorrow  welcomed ;"  beginning,  "  And  shall 
I,  Lord,  the  cup  decline?"  After  hearing  it,  he 
said,  "  That  implies  an  interest  in  Christ ;  that  is 
what  I  want."  "  Oh  yes,"  she  replied,  "  and  that  you 
have,  we  fully  believe :  you  have  cast  yourself  upon 
Christ."  He  then  with  earnestness  lifted  up  his  heart 
in  these  words,  "  Oh  Lord  !  my  dear  children  tell 
me  this ;  oh  whisper  it  to  my  ears  by  Thy  Holy 
Spirit!" 

Later  in  the  day,  he  desired  my  dear  mother  to 
read  to  him  the  last  words  of  David.     She  began, 
"  Although  my  house  be  not  so  with  God  :"  he  imme- 
diately burst  into  tears,  and,  when  he  could  speak, 
with  much  emotion  gave  thanks  to  God  that  in  this 
respect  their  case  was  far  otherwise  than  David's ;  and 
spoke  of  our  family  mercies  with  a  lively  sense  of 
God's  goodness  to  them.     She  continued  the  verse, 
and  believes  that  he  was  enabled  to  stay  and  comfort 
himself  in   that  everlasting  covenant  which  was  all 
David's  salvation  and  all  his  desire.     She  asked  him 
if  the  latter  part  of  the  verse,  "  Although  he  make  it 
not  to  grow,"  did  not  refer  to  the  ungodly  state  of 
David's  family.     He  thought  it  rather  referred  to  his 
low  state  of  Christian  feeling  and  experience,  compared 
with  what  the  blessings  of  the  Covenant  should  have 
produced  in  him.     "The  grace  of  the  Covenant  he 
had  received ;  but  it  had  not  been  made  to  increase 
and  flourish  in   that  measure  that   he  had  desired. 
Still  the  prevalence   of  sinful  propensities,  and   the 

F  f2 


436  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

weakness  of  faith,  hope,  and  love,  were  his  burden."  * 
This  interpretation  quite  fell  in  with  his  own  feelings. 
Soon  after  this  he  had  a  distressing  shivering  fit, 
brought  on,  it  appeared,  by  exercising  his  mind 
beyond  his  enfeebled  bodily  powers  ;  for  after  dozing 
some  time,  he  woke  up  and  asked  us  to  read  to  him 
St.  Peter's  Address  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost ;  to  which 
he  listened  attentively,  and  remarked  that  "  another 
such  sermon  never  had  been  preached,  and  never 
w'ould  be  again  ;"  with  a  few  other  observations.  The 
exertion  was  too  much  for  him,  and  we  were  alarmed 
by  its  effects. 

Sunday,  Oct.  6  —  At  seven  o'clock  this  morning 
one  of  my  sisters  sat  down  by  his  bedside,  and  said, 
"  This  is  Sunday  morning ;  I  will  read  you  a  short 
Psalm  ;"  and  she  began,  "O  God,  Thou  art  my  God, 
early  will  I  seek  Thee,"  and  read  through  the  first 
verse  of  the  63rd  Psalm,  when  he  said,  "  What  Psalm 
is  tfmt  ? "  She  told  him,  and  he  said,  "  Begin  it 
again  ;  that  exactly  expresses  the  state  of  my  feelings :" 
and  as  she  read  them,  he  repeated  every  clause  with 
the  greatest  earnestness,  and  then  said,  "  Be  sure  you 
sing  that  Psalm  at  church  to-day."  And  after  a  few 
more  verses  out  of  the  142nd  and  143rd  Psalms,  he 
added  again,  ^^Just  suited  to  my  case — the  very  ex- 
pressions of  my  heart !  Sing  them  heartily  to-day ;" 
raising  his  hand  to  give  force  to  the  expression  of 
his  feelings. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  my  sister  Eliza  read  to  him 

*  Scott. 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  437 

the  25th  Psalm,  being  one  which  he  had  before  felt  to 
meet  his  case.  The  frequent  "Amen,"  as  it  proceeded, 
shewed  how  much  he  entered  into  it ;  and  when  it  was 
finished,  he  said, "  Read  that  Psalm  to  me  frequently 
— it  just  describes  my  state — full  of  conscious  guilt 
and  infirmity — weak  in  faith — anxious  to  lay  hold  on 
Christ,  but  not  able  fully  to  say  that  He  is  mine :  that 
is  a  high  attainment,  granted  only  to  godly,  faithful, 
devoted  servants  of  Christ." 

Monday,  Oct.  7 — My  uncle,  Joseph  Jowett,  preached 
twice  at  St.  Stephen's  yesterday,  and  on  my  going  into 
the  room  this  morning  I  told  my  father  how  kind  my 
uncle  had  been.  He  cordially  assented,  and  asked  the 
texts.  When  I  repeated  the  morning  text,  "  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
world !"  he  said,  "  Who  will  have  the  comfort  of  that  ? 
Those  who  walk  closely  with  Christ.  Be  much  in 
prayer  and  communion  with  God." 

His  earnest  and  intense  longings  at  this  time,  after 
the  abiding  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  his  heart  of 
his  union  with  Christ,  can  only  be  compared  with  the 
experience  of  St.  Paul,  so  forcibly  expressed  in  Phil, 
iii.  7 — 14 :  "  What  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I 
counted  loss  for  Christ :  &c."  Often  would  he  exclaim, 
"  Oh  to  be  able  to  say,  J  am  Tlilne  and  Thou  art  mine ! " 
— stretching  forth  his  hand  as  he  spoke,  in  the  attitude 
of  grasping.  And  again,  in  urging  upon  us  the  same 
object  of  attainment,  he  said  about  this  time,  ''  Never 
be  satisfied  with  an  outward  profession  of  being  His  ; 
but  go  into  your  closets,  and  take  hold  of  Christ,  and 
then  He  will  take  hold  of  you." 


438  LAST  ILLNESS.  [Chap.  XX. 

Tuesday,  Oct.  8  —  The  India  Mail  arrived  to-day, 
sooner  in  the  month  than  usual,  and  brought  us  letters 
both  from  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta  and  my  brother  John  ; 
but  on  account  of  my  father's  great  weakness,  and  his 
being  easily  overset  by  excitement,  we  did  not  speak  of 
them  till  the  afternoon,  when  he  introduced  the  subject 
himself,  by  asking  if  the  Overland  was  yet  come  in. 
I  gave  him  a  brief  outline  of  their  proceedings,  with 
which  he  was  gratified;  but  he  was  not  equal  to 
hearing  the  letters  read.  The  opening  and  close  of 
his  Lordship's  letter  were  so  appropriate  to  Mr.  Pratt's 
situation  at  that  moment,  that  they  will  be  read  with 
interest : — 

"  Simla,  Aug.  8, 1844. 
"  MY  BELOVED  AND  HONOURED  BROTHER  IN  CHRIST — 

"  Your  letter  of  March  29th  reached  me  at  Nundool  May  !24tl), 
and  I  answer  it  now,  lest  when  I  am  in  the  Plains  time  should 
fail  me ;  and  indeed  we  are  both  now  so  near  the  \'ale  of 
Jordan,  that  no  time  is  to  be  lost  in  any  counsel  we  seek  or 
business  we  do."    «    *    *    * 

The  Letter  closes  thus  : — 

"  Farewell,  my  beloved  friend :  I  remember  April  1798  as  if 
it  were  yesterday.  Oh  to  *  end  well ! ' — with  increasiiuj  faith, 
love,  wisdom,  and  zeal,  as  our  natural  strength  is  decreasing 
— which  is  one  of  the  strongest  proofs  of  Christian  grace.  My 
best  love  in  Christ  Jesus  to  Mrs.  Pratt  and  all  yours. 
"  I  am,  begging  your  prayers, 

"  Your  affectionate 

"  D.  Calcutta." 

This  afternoon  he  had  another  shivering  lit  similar 
to  the  former,  the  violence  of  which  gradually  sub- 
siding,   he    said    calmly    and    earnestly,    "He    ever 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  439 

livetli  to  make  intercession  for  me!"  On  the  follow- 
ing passages  being  then  slowly  repeated  to  him — "  lie 
will  surely  come,  He  wall  not  tarry" — "  Surely  I  come 
quickly,  even  so  come,  Lord  Jesus!" — he  added  a 
fervent  "  Amen,"  and  again  sunk  into  sleep. 

Wednesday,  Oct.  9 — He  beckoned  me  close  to  him 
and  said,  "  I  am  lying  here,  waiting  for  the  mercy 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life."  To  the 
texts — "  Tarry  thou  the  Lord's  leisure : "  "  My  times  are 
in  Thy  hand" — he  replied,  "  God  give  me  patience  to 
wait  His  time."  I  said,  ^'  He  does  give  you  great 
patience."  Seeing  him  very  low,  I  repeated  several 
more  texts — "  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they 
shall  be  comforted" — "  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of 
trouble  ;  I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me  " 
— "They  that  sow  in  tears,  shall  reap  in  joy  :  sorrow 
may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morn- 
ing." Later  in  the  day,  knowing  how  useful  the 
Lord's  Prayer  had  often  been  to  the  sick  and  dying, 
from  its  being  familiar,  short,  'and  comprehensive,  I 
knelt  down  and  repeated  it  slowly  by  his  side.  He 
had  long  been  in  the  habit  of  repeating  it  over  to 
himself  slowly,  on  rising  in  the  morning ;  and  on  this 
occasion  he  joined  in  it  with  peculiar  solemnity. 

We  now  approach  the  last  solemn  hour  when  "  the 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  was  to  be  dissolved," 
and  the  spirit  of  our  beloved  father  translated  to  the 
''building  of  God,  the  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens."  We  were  only  anticipating 
another  restless  night,  of  which  he  had  had  so  many. 
The  quickness  and  labour  of  breathing,  and  a  pulse 


4-lU  LAST  ILLNESS.  t<-'HAP.  XX. 

at  90,  induced  Mr.  Edenborough  to  assure  me,  after 
seeing  him  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  that  a 
few  days  at  the  furthest  must  terminate  the  sufferings 
of  his  patient.  It  soon  appeared,  however,  that  he 
was  much  nearer  the  end  than  was  apprehended. 
Early  the  very  next  morning,  Thnrsdai/,  Oct.  10th, 
the  difficulty  of  breathing,  attended  with  extreme 
heat,  from  which  our  dear  father  had  suffered  so 
much,  appeared  to  increase.  He  remained  perfectly 
conscious ;  and  although  his  speech  was  so  inarticu- 
late, especially  during  the  last  day  or  two,  that  he 
could  seldom  be  fully  understood,  he  was  now 
distinctly  heard  to  be  in  fervent  prayer,  using  these 
words,  "  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me !  Christ,  have 
mercy  upon  me  !  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me!"  About 
half-past  two  o'clock  the  25th  Psalm  was  read  to  him, 
as  it  had  been  several  times  in  his  illness.  He 
responded  with  a  deep  and  fervent  "  Amen,"  through 
this  and  other  portions  which  were  read  to  him.  At 
three,  he  asked  what  hour  it  was  that  struck.  At 
half-past  three  the  1 7th  Psalm,  Watts's  Version,  was 
read  to  him.     At  the  verse 

"  O  glorious  hour!   O  blest  abode! 
I  shall  be  near,  and  like  my  God  ; 
And  flesh  and  sin  no  more  eontrol 
The  sacred  pleasures  of  my  soul " — 

he  raised  his  hand  in  a  sort  of  exultation.  After 
this,  the  well-known  hymn — 

"  Guide  me,  O  thou  great  Jehovah  !" 

was  read  to  him.     The  second  verse — 


1844.]  LAST  ILLNESS.  411 

"  Open  Thou  the  living  fountain, 

^\'hence  the  licaling  waters  tiow  ; 
Let  the  fiery  cloudy  pillar, 

Lead  me  all  my  journey  through  : 
Strong  Deliverer — 
Be  Thou  still  my  strength  and  shield  !" 

seemed  to  draw  out  the  emotions  of  his  soul :  with 
this  he  was  probably  quite  exhausted,  for  he  expressed 
nothing  particular  at  the  last  verse,  which  exactly 
described  his  situation  : — 

"  When  I  tread  the  verge  of  Jordan 

Bid  my  anxious  fears  subside  : 
Bear  me  through  th'  o'erwhelming  torrent, 

Land  me  safe  on  Canaan's  side  : 
Songs  of  praises— 

I  will  ever  give  to  Thee." 

Soon  after,  his  breathing  gradually  became  more  deli- 
berate, slow,  and  calm ;  and  in  ten  minutes  more  he 
departed,  without  a  single  struggle  or  indication  of 
pain,  to  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord.  "Thanks  be 
to  God,  who  has  given  him  the  victory,  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ! " 

"Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord, 
from  henceforth :  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may 
rest  from  their  labours  ;  and  their  works  do  follow 
them."  * 


*  The  family,  on  a  review  of  the  solemn  and  affecting  scene  which 
they  had  witnessed,  fully  acquiesce  in  the  following  remarks  of  their 
relative,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Jowctt,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  my  mother  ou 
his  return  to  Silk  AVilloughby  :— 

"  *  *  *  It  was  a  most  solemn  occasion — the  whole  time  of  my  visit  to 
you.  Yet  the  feeling  of  my  mind  throughout  was  less  that  of  soitow, 
than  of  calm  thankfulness.  Every  turn  in  the  progress  of  the  event  was 
indeed  marked  with  mercy.  Even  the  deep  sense  of  unworthiness 
expressed  by  the  sufferer,  while  it  seemed  to  disappoint  some,  and  wns 

thought 


442  DEATH.  [Chap.  XX. 

His  mortal  remains  were  committed  to  their  earthly 
resting  place,  in  the  Vicar's  Vault  of  St.  Stephen's 
Cliurch,  on  Thursday,  October  17th,  amid  the  most 
marked  tokens  of  respect  from  his  Parishioners,  who 
universally  closed  at  the  time  of  the  funeral.  Mr. 
Sheriff  Hunter,  the  Alderman,  Mr.  David  Allan,  the 
Deputy,  and  the  other  Common  Councilmen  of  the 
Ward,  followed  in  coaches ;  and  the  courts  and  alleys 
poured  forth  their  tenants,  from  the  hoary-headed 
pilgrim  down  to  the  child  in  arms,  to  witness  the 
mournful  procession;  which  was  preceded  by  the 
children  of  the  Ward  Schools,  and  a  numerous  body, 
of  clergy  and  friends  of  the  deceased,  including  the 


thought  likely  to  stumble  others,  appeared  to  me  most  natural  and 
reasonable.  Distrust  of  one's  own  self  is  not  distrust  of  God— nor  in  this 
case  did  it  lead  to  it.  Even  in  the  heavenly  presence  of  Christ,  Mr. 
Simeon  anticipated  for  himself  more  of  conscious  abasement  tlian  of 
triumphant  joy  :  and  if  such  a  view  be  correct,  as  I  believe  it  is,  the  best 
preparation  for  heaven  must  be  found  in  such  self-abasement." 

In  connection  with  the  same  subject,  we  cannot  forbear  here  subjoin- 
ing a  letter  of  consolation  addressed  to  my  mother  by  her  relative, 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Dikes  of  Hull,  himself  since  gone  to  his  rest: — 

"  MY  VERY  DEAR  MRS.  PRATT — 

"  I  yesterday  received  a  letter  from  your  son,  informing  me  of  the 
melancholy  news  of  the  death  of  your  beloved  husband— melancholy, 
doubtless,  as  it  respects  yourself  and  family,  but  blessed  as  it  respects  the 
departed.  Some  persons  suppose  that  the  dying  Christian  should  know 
no  misgiving,  no  fear.  A  full  assurance  of  faith,  it  is  said,  should  over- 
come every  doubt,  and  bring  perfect  peace  to  the  soul.  Perhaps  thus  it 
should  be,  and  thus  it  often  is ;  but  sometimes  there  is  a  peace  arising 
from  a  superficial  knowledge  of  religion.  And  from  long  experience  I  am 
persuaded,  that  God  gives  no  account  of  Ilis  matters  to  us;  and  very 
often  it  happens,  that  those  persons  who  have  looked  very  deeply  into 
tlieir  own  hearts,  and  have  known  the  strictness  and  spirituality  of  the 
law  of  God,  may  be  awed  by  the  solemnities  of  death  and  the  fears  of 

ai)proachlng 


1844.]  FUNERAL.  443 

Committee  and  Officers  of  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety. The  Funeral  Service  was  read  by  the  Rev. 
Andrew  Brandram,  Secretary  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society.  Funeral  Sermons  were 
preached  on  the  following  Sunday  at  St.  Stephen's, 
in  the  morning  by  the  Rev.  Edward  Bickersteth,  from 
Joshua  i.  1,  2,  and  in  the  evening  by  the  Rev.  John 
Harding,  from  2  Tim.  i.  7 ;  and  at  Islington  Church, 
by  the  Rev.  Henry  Venn,  Honorary  Clerical  Secretary 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  at  the  particular 
request  of  the  Committee,  from  1  Pet.  iv.  10, 11.  Various 
other  clergymen  made  allusion  to  their  deceased 
brother,  and  paid  a  tribute  to  his  memory. 


approaching  judgment.  It  is  true  that  there  is  a  fulness,  a  freencss  in 
the  salvation  of  Christ,  which  is  calculated  to  overcome  all  our  doubts 
and  disperse  all  our  fears :  yet  for  a  time,  the  views  of  God's  eternal 
mercy  in  Christ  Jesus  may  be  obscured,  and  declining  strength  may  give 
way  to  obtrusive  fears,  and  the  raging  fever  may  prove  too  much  for  the 
powers  of  faith — ah !  and  for  the  powers  of  reason  too :  and  this  is  the 
cause  why  the  death  of  Mr.  Bible  Scott  seemed  to  be  obscured  by  clouds 
and  darkness.  Those  little  fears  which  seemed  sometimes  to  obscure 
the  visions,  which  faith  might  otherwise  have  opened  to  the  view  of  your 
dying  husband,  are  now  for  ever  dispersed,  and  the  Sun  of  Righteousness 
has  risen  upon  him  never,  never,  to  set  in  death  or  darkness.  You,  my 
dear  Madam,  and  your  family,  have  cause  to  weep,  but  not  as  those 
without  hope.  The  knowledge  that  he  whom  you  loved  is  for  ever  with 
the  Lord,  and  that  you  shall  soon  meet  him  in  the  blessed  kingdom  of 
joy  and  love,  if  it  should  not  dry  up  every  tear,  will  soothe  every  sorrow, 
soften  the  bitterness  of  death,  and  be  a  constant  motive  to  tread  in  his 
steps,  that  where  he  is  there  you  may  also  be. 

♦  *♦♦»♦» 

"  I  am  now  nearly  83  years  of  age,  and  in  good  health,  but  death 
cannot  be  far  off. 

"  May  God  bless  you,  dear  Mrs.  Pratt. 

"  From  your  aftcctionate  friend  and  cousin, 

"  T110MA.S  Dikes." 


in  MONUMENT.  [Chap.  XX. 

The  Parishioners  assembled  in  Vestry  the  day  after 
the  funeral,  when 

"  It  was  moved  by  Mr.  David  Allan  and  seconded  by  Mr. 
Joseph  Perkins,  and  unanimously  resolved, 

"  That  this  Vestry  deeply  regret  the  decease  of  the  Rev. 
Josiah  Pratt,  B.D.,  who  held  the  important  office  of  Vicar  of 
this  Parish  for  upwards  of  eighteen  years  ;  and  they  desire  to 
record  their  testimony  to  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  ministerial 
duties,  and  the  deep  anxiety  he  always  evinced  to  promote  the 
best  and  highest  interests  of  the  Parishioners,  and  especially  of 
the  poor :  and  they  tender  their  condolence  and  sympathy  to 
his  Widow  and  Family  under  the  great  loss  which  tlicy  have 
sustained  through  their  afflictive  bereavement ;  and  they  trust 
that  they  will  be  consoled  by  those  heaven-derived  precepts 
to  M'hich  he  ever  directed  all  to  look  in  the  hour  of  need,  and 
that  they  will  be  cheered  by  the  declaration  of  our  Lord, 
'  Where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my  servant  be.'  " 

On  the  Friday  following  they  gave  a  substantial  proof 
of  their  regard  for  his  memory,  by  the  unanimous  elec- 
tion of  his  son  to  succeed  him  in  the  Vicarage :  and 
they  subsequently  erected  a  beautiful  emblematical 
monument  in  the  Church,  designed  and  executed  by 
Mr.  Wyon  ;  in  which  the  Angel  of  the  Everlasting 
Gospel  is  represented  as  preaching  the  glad  tidings 
— "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved  " — to  the  Liberated  African,  the  Hindoo,  and 
the  New  Zealander ;  while  some  small  figures  of 
children  are  introduced  below,  in  allusion  to  the 
Infant  School  which  he  founded  in  his  parish.  The 
following  inscription,  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  M. 
M.  Preston,  Vicar  of  Cheshunt,  accompanies  the 
design : — 


1844.]  MONUMENT.  445 

TO    THE     REVERKD    MEMORY    OF 

JOSTAII  PRATT,  B.D. 

vicAU  OF  ST.  Stephen's,  coleman  street  ; 

WHO,   WHILE   FAITHFULLY    PREACHING  THE  GOSPEL  IN   THIS  CITY, 
LARGELY   CONTRIHTTED  TO   ITS   PUBLICATION 

THROUGHOUT  THE   WORLD; 

BY    SHARING    IN    THE    COUNSELS    AND    LABOURS 
OF  THE  BRITISH  AND  FOREIGN  BIBLE  SOCIETY, 

AND  OF  OTHER  KINDRED  ASSOCIATIONS  ; 

BUT    CHIEFLY    AS    ONE    OF    THE    FOUNDERS, 

AND  FOR  TWENTY-ONE  YEARS  SECRETARY,  OF  THE 

CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  FOR  AFRICA  AND  THE  EAST; 

TO  WHOSE  OBJECTS  HE  UNSPARINGLY  DEVOTED 

THE    BEST    ENERGIES    OF    HIS    BODY    AND    MIND, 

AND    THUS,    THROUGH    GOd's    BLESSING, 
WAS  INSTRUMENTAL  IN   GATHERING   FROM   AMONG  THE   HEATHEN 

AFRICANS,  HINDOOS,  NEW  ZEALANDERS, 

"  BOND    AND    FREE,"    INTO    THE    CHURCH    OF    THE    REDEEMED. 

CALLED  IN    MATURE  AGE 

TO  THE  PASTORAL  SUPERINTENDENCE  OF  THIS  PARISH, 

HE    DEVOTED    TO    THE    FLOCK    COMMITTED    TO    HIS    CHARGE 

HIS  RIPER  KNOWLEDGE  AND  ENLARGED  EXPERIENCE  ; 

MAINLY'    LABOURING    TO    KNOW    MORE,    AND    TO    TESTIFY    MORE, 

OF  "the   UNSEARCHABLE   RICHES  OF  CHRIST." 

HIS   ENTRANCE   INTO   THE  PARISH 
WAS    QUICKLY     FOLLOWED    BY    THE    ESTABLISHMENT 

OF  VARIOUS   PAROCHIAL  INSTITUTIONS 

FOR   THE   RELIEF   OF  THE  AFFLICTED  AND   DESTITUTE, 

AND  FOR  THE   RELIGIOUS  TRAINING   AND  EDUCATION    OF  CHILDREN  : 

HIS    SEDULOUS    PROMOTION    OF    WHICH 

WILL  CAUSE   HIS   MEMORY, —  DEAR  TO   MANY   IN   DISTANT  LANDS, 

TO    BE    ESPECIALLY    BLESSED    AND    HONOURED    HERE. 

HE    RESTED    FROM     HIS     LABOURS,    OCTOBER     IOtH,     1844, 
IN  THE  76th   year   OF   HIS   AGE. 

THIS  RECORD  OF  AFFECTIONATE  RESPECT  WAS  ERECTED  BY  THE 
PARISHIONERS  AND  OTHER   FRIENDS, 

MDCCCXLVII. 


CONCLUDING  CHAPTER. 


It  is  not  unusual  for  Biographers  to  complete  their  task, 
with  a  general  view  of  the  more  prominent  points 
in  the  character  of  the  individual  whose  life  and 
actions  they  have  been  recording.  In  the  present 
instance,  the  Editors  have  preferred  embodying  every 
thing  which  they  might  wish  to  say,  in  the  "  Memoir" 
itself:  more  especially,  as  they  are  able  to  bring 
forward  some  very  interesting  testimonies  to  the  worth 
of  the  departed,  from  abler  and  more  impartial  pens 
than  their  own ;  and  with  these  they  close  their 
labours,  humbly  commending  them  to  the  heavenly 
benediction  of  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church. 
The  first  of  these  testimonies  shall  be  a 

Minute  adopted  by  the  Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary 

Society. 
"At  the  Meeting  of  the  Committee  on  the  16th  instant,  tlic 
death  of  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt  was  made  known  to  them  in 
a  Letter  from  his  son,  stating  that  it  had  pleased  God,  early  in 
the  morning  of  the  lOth  of  October,  'to  release  his  dear  and 
venerahle  father  from  his  earthly  labours  and  sufferings:' 
adding,  *  He  has  died  profoundly  humble  in  the  view  of  himself 
and  his  past  valuable  life,  yet  strong  in  the  faith  of  Christ 
crucified,  and  giving  glory  to  God.'  The  views  and  feelings 
of  the  Committee,  on  the  receipt  of  this  intelHgcnce,  are 
embodied  in  the  following  Minute — 


1844]  MINUTE  OF  THE  CHURCH  MISS.  SOCIETY.  447 

"  *  It  is  with  mingled  feelings  of  sorrow  and  thankfidncss 
that  the  Committee  record  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt, 
Secretary  of  this  Society  during  twenty-one  of  its  earliest 
years.  While  the  Committee  cannot  but  sorrow  at  the  removal 
from  the  Church  below  of  this  eminent  servant  of  Christ,  and 
while  they  deeply  sympathize  with  his  afflicted  family  on  their 
irreparable  loss,  they  would  with  thankfulness  give  glory  to 
God  for  the  abundant  grace  vouchsafed  to  him,  and  for  his 
consequent  extensive  usefulness  in  the  great  cause  of  Protestant 
Missions  to  the  heathen. 

"  *  Called,  in  the  providence  of  God,  to  the  Secretaryship  of 
this  Society  at  the  close  of  the  year  1802 — the  third  year  of  its 
existence — and  holding  that  office  till  the  beginning  of  1824, 
he  devoted  himself  unsparingly,  throughout  this  extended 
period,  to  the  advancement  of  its  interests  and  objects  at  home 
and  abroad.  It  was  especially  through  his  instrumentality, 
under  the  Divine  blessing,  that  the  friends  of  evangelical  truth, 
lay  and  clerical,  were  cordially  and  effectively  combined  in  pro- 
moting the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel  among  the  heathen,  in 
accordance  with  the  doctrines,  constitution,  and  rites  of  the 
Church  of  which  they  were  attached  and  zealous  members. 

"'Atthe  period  at  which  this  Institution  was  formed,  so 
much  had  the  obligation  of  every  Christian  Church  to  send 
the  Gospel  to  the  heathen  been  lost  sight  of,  and  such  was  the 
apathy  and  misapprehension  which,  in  consequence,  wexy  gene- 
rally prevailed,  that  it  demanded,  in  no  small  degree,  the  union 
of  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent  with  the  harmlcssness  of  the  dove 
to  place  the  claims  of  the  new  Society  on  a  proper  footing,  and 
to  guide  its  early  course  aright.  For  this  arduous  duty  the 
late  Mr.  Pratt  was  eminently  qualified.  He  was  endowed  by 
nature  wuth  a  comprehensive  mind,  solid  judgment,  and  large- 
ness of  heart.  To  these  were  added,  through  grace,  clear  and 
realizing  views  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  as  a  dispensation  of 
free  grace  and  mercy  to  a  world  lying  /;/  wickedness,  through 
the  atonement  and  righteousness  of  God's  dear  Son,  and  a 


448  MIXUTE  OF  THE  CHURCH  MISS.  SOCIETY.      [Chap.  XXI. 

powerful  sense  of  the  obligation  to  impart  the  blessing  to  those 
who  were  without  Christ  in  the  world.  No  less  was  Mr.  Pratt 
distinguished  by  genuine  catholicity  of  spirit,  loving  all  that 
loved  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity,  and  by  a  warm  love 
for  souls,  which  rendered  sacrifices  and  labour  to  bring  them 
to  Christ  light  and  easy.  He  was  also  a  man  of  humility  and 
peace  ;  willing  himself  to  be  nothing  that  Christ  might  be 
exalted,  and,  for  the  very  love  of  peace,  following  2>ecice  ivith 
all  men.  Yet  was  Mr.  Pratt  no  temporizer,  where  he  believed 
the  truth  of  God  to  be  at  stake.  His  firmness  and  decision, 
where  the  interests  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  and  of  the  souls  of 
men  were  concerned,  were  not  less  characteristic  than  his 
humility,  candour,  and  charity,  on  all  other  occasions.  To 
these  qualifications  were  added  habits  of  business  peculiarly 
suited  to  his  office;  and  in  labours  he  was  abundant  and  inde- 
fiitigable.  He  enjoyed,  withal,  a  cheerfulness  of  mind  and 
buoyancy  of  spirits,  which,  while  they  lightened  his  toils, 
rendered  his  intercourse  peculiarly  attractive  and  instructive  to 
those  with  whom  he  was  associated  in  labour. 

" '  To  the  Missionaries  and  Students  of  the  Society  he 
endeared  himself  by  his  wise  counsels,  his  quickening  exhor- 
tations, and  his  edifying  discourse. 

"  *  His  watchfulness  of  the  movements  of  Divine  Providence, 
and  his  faith  in  following  them,  were  conspicuously  displayed 
in  his  plans  of  Missionary  operation ;  while  his  largeness  of 
view  and  soundness  of  judgment  enabled  him  convincingly  to 
devclope  them  in  the  Committee,  and  to  recommend  their 
adoption  with  almost  invariable  success. 

"  '  Under  adverse  occurrences,  especially  with  regard  to  the 
death  of  Missionaries  and  partial  failure  of  undertakings, 
though  he  felt  deeply,  the  firnmess  of  his  faith  and  the  strength 
of  his  natural  character  sustained  him  in  the  stedfast  prosecu- 
tion of  plans  which  had  been  carefully  matured,  and  committed 
in  humble  prayer  to  the  favour  and  blessing  of  the  Great  Head 
of  the  Church. 


1844.]  PERMANENT  MEMORIAL  PROPOSED.  449 

"  '  Having  thus  honoured  the  Lord  by  his  consistent  walk 
and  abundant  labours,  he  was  highly  honoured  of  Him  in 
being  permitted  to  witness  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
under  his  guidance,  steadily  advancing  in  friends,  in  pecuniary 
means,  and  in  varied  usefulness.  When  he  entered  upon  the 
office  of  Secretary,  no  Missionary  had  been  engaged,  and  no 
Mission  had  been  commenced.  When  he  retired  from  his 
official  connection  with  the  Society,  its  Missions  had  become 
widely  spread  over  the  Heathen  World — its  Teachers  of  all 
classes  had  exceeded  four  hundred — its  Scholars  had  amounted 
to  upward  of  13,000 — and  its  income  had  reached  nearly 
40,000/.  So  signally  had  it  pleased  God  to  bless  the  labours 
of  His  servant  in  surmounting  the  early  difficulties  of  the 
Society — in  conciliating  or  disarming  those  who  viewed  its 
formation  with  jealousy  and  mistrust — in  exciting  a  Missionary 
spirit  in  our  Church — and  in  drawing  forth  the  means  of  ditius- 
ing  the  glorious  Gospel  of  the  blessed  God  throughout  the 
world.'  " 

The  Committee,  in  the  foUowing  March,  issued  an 

"  Appeal  to   the  Members  of  the   Church  Missionary  Society 

for  a  Memorial  of  the  late  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  B.D.,  late 

Secretary  of  the  Society." 

This  Appeal  states  that — 

"  The  long  and  intimate  connection  of  the  late  Rev.  Josiah 
Pratt  with  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  the  very  impor- 
tant services  which,  through  the  Divine  blessing,  he  was  instru- 
mental in  rendering  to  it,  have  excited  in  the  minds  of  the 
Committee,  and  of  the  Members  of  the  Society  at  large,  a  desire 
to  express  their  thankfulness  to  God  for  His  blessing  upon 
the  labours  of  His  servant,  and  their  own  affectionate  respect 
for  his  memory,  by  permanently  connecting  his  name  with  some 
branch  of  the  operations  of  the  Society.  After  considering 
different  methods  of  effecting  the  object,  the  Connnittee  are  of 

G  G 


450 


MINUTE  OF  THE  BRITISH  [Chap.  XXI. 


opinion  that  it  may  be  most  advantageously  done  by  providing 
means  for  educating  the  daughters  of  Missionaries  in  an  Insti- 
tution to  be  designated  *  The  Pratt  Church  Missionary  Female 
School.'  " 

A  large  fund  is  of  course  necess'ary  to  carry  out 
such  a  scheme,  which  it  is  intended  to  complete  with 
some  portion  of  the  Jubilee  Collection. 

The  next  testimony  produced  shall  be  a 

Minute  adopted  h;j  the  Committee  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society, 

"  The  devoted  friends  of  the  Bible  Society  have  happily  been 
so  numerous  as  to  render  it  impracticable  for  the  Committee, 
however  deeply  sensible  of  their  services,  to  offer  a  several  tribute 
of  affection  to  the  memory  of  each,  as  each  has  passed  away 
from  the  earthly  scene  of  his  labours.  Yet  they  cannot  receive 
intelligence  of  the  death  of  the  late  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  without 
making  some  record  of  the  obligations  under  which  the  Society 
was  laid  by  him,  in  the  earlier  stages  of  its  existence,  both  in 
the  way  of  active  service  and  valuable  counsel.  Of  the  latter, 
the  beneficial  effects  have  been  felt  during  a  period  of  forty 
years ;  and  will  continue  to  be  felt,  as  long  as  the  Society  shall 
maintain  its  original  constitution  and  principles. 

"  For  a  few  weeks  after  the  formation  of  the  Society  Mr. 
Pratt  held  the  office  of  Secretary,  in  conjunction  with  the  late 
Rev.  Joseph  Hughes.  This  appointment  was  accepted  by  him 
principally  on  the  suggestion  of  the  late  Rev.  John  Owen,  who 
strongly  advised  that  with  Mr.  Hughes  a  Clergyman  of  the 
Established  Church  should  be  associated,  and  the  Society  be 
thus  made  to  bear  a  truly  Catholic  impress.  From  this  office, 
finding  it  to  be  incompatible  with  his  engagements  as  Secretary 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  he  soon  retired,  when  Mr. 


1814.]  AND  FOREIGN  FABLE  SOCIETY.  151 

Owen  himself  was  happily  prevailed  upon  to  become  his 
successor. 

"  To  the  judicious  counsels  of  Mr.  Pratt  the  Society  owes 
the  present  Constitution  of  its  Committee  :  a  Constitution  under 
which,  while  room  is  left  for  the  admission  of  six  Foreiirners, 
of  the  remaining  thirty  Members  fifteen  are  required  to  be 
Members  of  the  Established  Church,  and  fifteen  Members  of 
other  Denominations  of  Christians.  And  the  Committee  think 
they  may  ask,  when  there  has  ever  existed  a  more  united  or  a 
more  harmoniously-working  Executive.  It  may  be  fearlessly 
said,  that  experience  has  proved  the  wisdom  of  the  arrange- 
ment ;  and  of  that  arrangement  the  Committee  would  say, 
£sto  perpctua  ! 

"  If,  in  later  years,  Mr.  Pratt  took  a  less  active  part  in  the 
Society's  affairs,  the  Committee  knew  that  it  was  not  from  the 
want  of  continued  interest  in  them.  Affection — and  warm  affec- 
tion too — was  shewn  to  the  Society,  in  the  support  and  counte- 
nance which  he  afforded  to  it  in  various  localities,  and  more 
particularly  in  connection  with  the  City-of-London  Auxiliary. 

"  The  Society  is  not  a  little  indebted  to  Mr.  Pratt  for  the 
prominent  share  which  he  always  allotted  to  it  in  the  pages  of 
the  '  Missionary  Register,' — a  valuable  Monthly  Periodical, 
originated,  and  (till  of  late)  entirely  conducted  by  himself. 
Intelligence  of  the  Society's  proceedings  was  thus  widely,  and 
at  the  same  time  gratuitously,  circulated  through  the  kingdom, 
and  even  beyond  its  limits  ;  while  the  selection  of  matter  was 
judicious  and  happy. 

"  The  Committee  desire  to  offer  to  his  widow  and  family  an 
expression  of  their  sincerest  sympathy  under  the  loss  that  they 
have  sustained :  but  they  would  mingle  with  their  regrets  a 
lively  thankfulness  to  God,  that  their  late  friend  was  privileged 
for  so  long  a  period  to  adoi'n  the  doctrine  of  his  God  and 
Saviour,  by  the  example  of  a  holy  and  peaceful  life,  founded 
upon  the  principles  of  the  Gospel ;  and  l)y  his  very  eminent 
services  to  the  cause  of  God,  in  his  day  and  generation  ; — that, 

gg2 


452  Ml<-  JOWETT'S  SKETCH  [Chap.  XXI 

moreover,  he  has  at  length  finished  his  course  in  peace,  without 
protracted  suffering,  and  '  come  to  his  grave  in  a  full  age,  like 
as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  in  his  season.'  May  his  sorrowing 
friends — may  the  Committee — may  the  whole  wide  circle  over 
which  he  exercised  a  salutary  influence,  '  follow  him  as  he 
followed  Christ !'     Amen." 


The  following  is  an  able  sketch  of  Mr.  Pratt's  cha- 
racter from  the  pen  of  his  relative,  the  Rev.  William 
Jowett.  It  is  extracted  from  an  Address  which  he 
delivered  at  the  National  School-room,  Islington,  on 
Tuesday,  Oct.  31,  1848,  when  Instructions  were  given 
to  several  Missionaries  departing  to  their  Stations. 
After  descriptive  notices  of  three  of  the  Founders  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  Mr.  Jowett  proceeded 
thus : — 

*'  Of  the  fourth-mentioned,  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  it  may 
perhaps  be  difficult  for  me,  as  a  brother-in-law,  not  to  speak 
with  some  degree  of  partiality.  But  as  he  has  not  long  been 
removed  from  among  us,  there  are  many  able  to  confirm  or  to 
correct  my  testimony.  He  was  a  man  all  energy — grave,  firm, 
undaunted  energy  ;  with  a  mind  comprehensive,  sagacious, 
sound,  and  practical ;  a  mind  always  busy,  going  forth  in  its 
excursions  throughout  the  land,  and  through  the  compass  of 
the  whole  earth,  ever  devising  good :  yet,  with  no  turn  for 
novelties.  Of  the  many  weeds  that  so  often  spring  up  in  the 
religious  world,  none  took  root  in  him.  There  were  no  par- 
tialities, no  bye-paths,  no  corners  in  his  mind :  all  was  plain, 
open,  and  direct;  tending  to  usefulness  on  the  large  scale. 
With  these  original  qualities  of  the  understanding  was  com- 
bined a  power  of  labour  truly  astonishing.  Work  was  his 
element :  there  was  no  Vis  'mertice  about  him  ;  and  his  exer- 
tions were  all  so  arranged  in  method,  and  pressed  on  with  per- 


1848.]  OF  MR.  PRATT'S  CHARACTER.  453 

severance,  that  it  seemed  natural  for  us  to  expect  success  in 
whatever  he  undertook.  He  knew  well  how  to  carry  forward 
the  theories  of  good  and  able  men  into  practical  results. 
Others  might  deliberate  :  he  could  deliberate  and  act  too.  The 
benefits  which  he  conferred  upon  this  Society,  or  rather,  it 
should  be  said,  through  this  Society  upon  the  world  at  large, 
were  immense.  He  was  capable  of  moving  or  arresting  the 
mind  of  large  assemblies ;  and  in  our  Committee  he  was  well 
qualified  to  sway  his  fellow-labourers,  from  combining  a  just 
confidence  in  his  own  judgment  with  such  a  genuine  modesty, 
as  led  him  to  respect  the  opinions  and  even  the  prejudices  of 
other  minds.  And  this  was  the  more  remarkable,  as  he  was 
by  nature  vehement ;  but  this  temperament  was  softened  down 
from  his  attaining,  through  grace,  to  an  eminent  degree  of 
self-knowledge  and  self-command.  When  I  entered  on  the 
oflSce  of  Secretary,  sixteen  years  ago,  the  only  rule  he  gave  me 
was,  *  Never  shew  temper  :'  counsel  which  was  fetched,  I  doubt 
not,  from  the  depths  of  his  own  experience.  Then  in  the 
qualities  of  his  heart  he  was  truly  large,  fervent,  and  aflfectionate, 
as  all  his  friends  could  testify.  He  had  a  remarkably  keen 
discernment,  almost  instinctive,  of  the  infirmities  of  human 
nature  ;  and  a  most  tender  compassion  for  its  sinful  weaknesses. 
*  I  never  knew  a  man'  (Bishop  Gobat  once  said  to  me)  'like 
him,  able  to  ask  of  Missionai'y  Candidates  such  plain  questions 
without  oflfending.'  He  was  peculiarly  reverential,  and  full  of 
adoring  thoughts  toward  his  God ;  which  gave  an  impressive 
character  to  all  his  duties,  and  to  all  his  intercourse  with  the 
public  and  with  Missionaries.  He  was  a  faithful  experimental 
preachei*,  rich  in  doctrine,  and  close  in  practical  application  ; 
eminently  devout  in  prayer,  both  in  the  family  and  with  his 
friends.  Thus  from  his  closet,  his  study,  his  pulpit,  and  the 
Committee-room,  he  helped  with  others  to  move  the  world  : 
and,  God  prospering  them,  they  did  move  it  in  good  earnest. 
In  his  prayers  he  was  ever  wont  to  make  mention  of  the  three 
Persons  of  the  blessed  Trinity.     He  honoured  the  person  and 


4  j  I  CHARACTER  OF  MR.  PRATT  [CiiAf.  XXI. 

work  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  put  honour  upon 
him,  by  blessing  his  labours  abundantly.  Though  not,  like 
Mr.  Venn,  the  prime  mover  in  forming  this  Society,  yet  in 
rearing,  advancing,  and  establishing  it,  he  had  the  chief  hand. 
Moreover,  being  the  youngest,  he  was  spared  longer  than  the 
other  three  to  promote  this  blessed  work.  After  the  formation 
of  the  Society  Mr.  Scott  lived  twenty-two  years,  Mr.  Simeon 
thirty-six,  and  Mr.  Venn  but  fourteen,  while  Mr.  Pratt  survived 
forty-five  ;— very  near  seven  times  seven  years.  It  was  he  who 
laid  down  this  fundamental  principle  for  the  Sgciety— '  It  must 
be  kept  in  evangelical  hands:'  and  in  unison  with  this,  he 
often,  in  his  venerable  age,  expressed  his  alarm  lest  a  new 
o-eneration  should  attempt  to  build  the  Church  with  men 
devoid  of  spirituality."  * 

We  cannot  do  better  than  sum  up  the  whole  with 
the  following  extract  from  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta's 
Fourth  or  Farewell  Charge  to  his  Clergy,  delivered 
at  Calcutta,  May  2,  1845,  the  day  before  his  Lordship 
embarked  for  England  : — 

"  You  will  not  wonder  that  I  could  not  receive,  without  deep 
emotion,  tlie  tidings  of  the  decease  of  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt, 
though  at  the  mature  age  of  seventy-six,  and  without  great 
bodily  suffering,  when  I  inform  you  that  he  was  the  affec- 
tionate tutor  who  guided  my  youth,  and  prepared  me  for  the 
University  in  1798,  and  had  continued  my  bosom  friend  from 
that  time  to  the  moment  of  his  death. f 


*  An  enlarged  view  of  Mr.  Pratt's  character  as  a  Preacher  of  the  Word, 
will  be  found  in  the  Appendix  No.  V.,  reprinted  from  the  "Ciiristian 
(Observer"  for  August  1047. 

t  I  owe  indeed,  under  God,  to  him  and  two  or  tiirce  other  eminent 
men,  the  entire  guidanee  of  my  mind  when  I   first  ejitered  seriously  on 

the 


1845.]  BY  THE  BISHOP  OF  CALCUTTA.  455 

"  He  was  a  man  indeed.  Few  ever  equalled  him,  as  I  think, 
in  two  respects ;  first,  in  exactly  knowing  his  particular  line  of 
talents,  and  next,  in  employing  those  talents  for  the  most 
important  purpose,  the  marshalling  the  Mission  array  of  our 
Church  at  a  most  critical  moment — two  of  the  very  highest 
points  of  commendation  that  can  be  bestowed  on  a  servant  of 
Christ. 

"  He  had  all  the  general  preparation  most  necessary  for  the 
work  to  which  he  was  ultimately  called,  excellent  abilities, 
good  learning,  deeply-seated  piety,  a  sound  judgment,  exten- 
sive knowledge  of  history  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  and  wise, 
and  therefore  very  moderate  views  on  the  inscrutable  sub- 
jects of  the  Divine  purposes  and  the  questions  allied  with 
them. 

"  Besides  this  general  fitness,  he  possessed,  also,  many 
special  qualifications  for  the  position  God  designed  him  to  fill. 
He  had  an  enterprising  mind,  a  fondness  for  planning  schenjes 
of  usefulness,  and  great  tact  in  framing  designations  and  rules 
for  Societies  on  sudden  emergencies. 

"  Then  his  business-like  habits,  acquired  in  early  life  under 
his  pious  father,  a  merchant  at  Birmingham,  and  his  incredible 
powers  of  application,  gave  him  the  most  abundant  use  of  all 
his   abilities;    sustained,    as    they  were,    with   an    Herculean 


the  care  of  my  salvation  and  the  earnest  study  of  theology.  The  Rev. 
Thomas  Scott,  the  Commentator,  from  171)6  to  1798- then  in  1798  the 
Rev.  Josiah  Pratt — next,  at  St.  Edmund's  Hall,  Oxford,  the  Rev.  Isaac 
Crouch— and  lastly,  in  my  first  curacy,  from  1801  to  1803,  the  Rev. 
Richard  Cecil.  These  continued  uninterruptedly  my  most  intimate 
friends  till  their  several  deaths.  But  to  no  one  was  1  more  attached  than 
to  him,  who  was  spared  to  me  and  to  the  Church  the  longest,  my 
honoured  brother  whom  we  have  just  lost.  1  mention  their  names, 
though  at  the  expense  of  apparent  egotism,  or  "foolishness,"  as  the 
apostle  would  call  it,  as  my  last  solemn  act  of  gratitude  to  God,  and  as  a 
testimony  of  love  to  their  families  and  descendants. 


450  CHARACTER  OF  MR.  TRATT  [CiiAr.  XXI. 

strength  of  constitution  during  the  greater  portion  of  a  long 
life.* 

"  Further  than  this,  his  enlightened  and  most  decided  attach- 
ment to  the  United  Church  of  England  and  Ireland,  in  all  its 
doctrines  and  polity,  was  commingled  with  such  a  sound  judg- 
ment, and  such  a  freedom  from  party  spirit,  that  he  was  espe- 
cially suited  to  the  post  he  had  to  fulfil ;  for  which,  indeed,  the 
want  of  these  particular  qualities  would  have  unfitted  him. 

"  Then,  his  very  place  of  residence  and  his  literary  taste, 
connecting  him  with  the  public  press  in  London,  enabled  him 
to  prepare  designs  for  the  public  eye,  and  superintend  their 
progress  with  a  promptitude  and  skill  which  contributed  essen- 
tially to  their  success,  and  in  which  no  one  else  could  have 
stood  in  his  place. 

"  Add  to  these  qualifications,  a  singular  union  of  meekness 
with  firmness  of  purpose  in  his  character.  There  was  no  man 
like  him  that  I  was  ever  acquainted  with,  for  an  unbending 
mind,  a  fixed  conscientious  determination,  which  nothing 
could  turn  aside — and  which  sometimes  verged,  no  doubt, 
towards  excess — and  yet  for  meekness,  so  that  I  verily  believe 
he  never  had  an  enemy. 

"  He  had  not  a  particle  of  what  we  understand  by  assumption 
and  forwardness.  He  was  willing  to  work  under-ground,  and 
let  others  stand  prominently  forth,  when  he  thought  the  end  in 
view  would  be  better  attained.  He  understood  when  to  retire 
from  particular  offices  and  stations  as  life  advanced.  The 
exact  propriety  of  his  character  in  this  way  was  conspicuous. 
All  was  in  keeping;  he  did  every  thing  that  was  fit  and  be- 
coming for  him  to  perform,  and  nothing  more.f 


*  And  yet  lie  had  only  one  useful  eye  during  life,  and  that  one  often 
affected  by  S3'mpathy :  nineteen  weeks  of  pain,  and  seclusion  in  a  dark 
room,  occurred  at  one  time  some  years  since,  perhaps  ten  or  twelve:  the 
pressure  of  acute  suffering,'  was  extreme. 

t  In  this  he  resembled  his  friend,  the  amiable  and  holy  Bishop  Corrie. 


1845.]  BY  THE  BISHOP  OF  CALCUTTA.  157 

"  Consistency  in  the  various  parts  of  the  Cluistian  character 
was  the  result  of  all  this.  This  was  a  peculiar  ornament  of  his 
whole  long  and  valuable  course.  His  friends  have  nothing  to 
conceal  or  excuse  in  his  history :  he  was  a  wise  and  downright 
Christian  in  all  the  branches  of  that  high  character.  He  was 
the  excellent  pastor  of  a  flock  and  the  laborious  parish  priest, 
at  the  same  time  that  he  was  the  devout  and  dignified  head 
of  a  well-regulated  family,  '  having  his  children  in  subjection 
with  all  gravity.'  He  was  the  affectionate  husband  and  the 
faithful  tender-hearted  friend,  as  well  as  the  indefatigable  coun- 
sellor and  wise  leader  in  every  good  public  undertaking.* 

"  But  it  was  as  Founder,  and  Secretary  for  twenty-one 
years,  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  that  my  friend  was 
best  known.  Here  he  found  employment  for  all  his  particular 
talents,  and  spent  his  best  years.  Hovv  he  discharged  this 
arduous   office,  and   worked   up    the    Society  to  the  state  of 


"  I  know  my  defects,  my  dear  Brethren,"  the  Bishop  used  to  say  to 
those  around  him  ;  "  I  cannot  undertake  such  and  such  things  ;  you  can." 
*  No  wonder,  then,  that  in  early  life  he  was  chosen  as  Treasurer  and 
Secretary  of  a  Clerical  Society,  the  Eclectic,  at  St.  John's  Vestry ;  that  he 
collected,  for  the  first  time,  and  published  the  valuable  works  of  Bishop 
Hall  and  Bishop  Hopkins,  both  of  sterling  merit,  and  Bishop  Hall, 
inferior  to  none  of  our  greatest  English  Divines,  whether  as  a  spiritual 
and  practical  writer,  or  as  a  theologian  and  controversialist ;  that  he 
had  prepared  the  way  for  the  publication  of  the  Polyglott  liible,  and 
other  works  of  that  class,  by  Mr.  Bagster  and  Dr.  Adam  Clarke ;  that, 
later  in  life,  he  found  time,  by  incredible  diligence,  to  publish  the  works 
of  the  Rev.  Richard  Cecil,  containing  those  incomparable  "Remains," 
which  are  only  second  to  the  works  of  Pascal,  Lord  Bacon,  and  Bishop 
Butler  on  like  subjects;  that  he  was  the  author  and  editor,  till  nearly  the 
close  of  life,  of  the  well-known  and  most  excellent  ''  Missionary  Register ;" 
and  was  also  editor  for  a  time  of  the  admirable  "  Christian  Observer," 
still  maintaining  its  high  reputation.  I  may  add,  that  I  esteem  the 
forty-four  volumes  of  this  work  as  not  the  least  valuable  amongst  my 
rather  large  collection.  It  has  been  a  bulwark  of  our  Church  for  nearly 
half  a  century,  and  especially,  of  late,  against  the  Tractarians. 


45S  CHAUACTEll  OF  Mli.  PRATT  [Chap.  XXI. 

prosperity  in  which  he  resigned  the  labours  of  it  to  younger 
men,  without  resigning  the  care  and  anxiety  and  counsel  which 
he  could  not,  and  did  not,  cast  oft"  till  the  hour  of  his  death,  I 
need  not  say. 

"  I  will  mention  only  one  or  two  circumstances  which  mark 
his  fine  spirit.  In  the  year  1819,  when  a  Royal  Letter  was 
issued  on  behalf  of  the  Venerable  Propagation  Society,  he  drew 
up  and  published  an  able  Abstract  of  the  Sermons  delivered, 
during  more  than  a  hundred  years,  by  the  annual  preachers, 
and  of  the  chief  proceedings  of  that  great  Institution.  This 
he  published  in  a  volume  entitled  '  Propaganda.'  It  instantly 
became  a  Manual,  and  contributed  not  a  little  to  the  immense 
extension  of  that,  and  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  The 
whole  Church  welcomed  the  gift  with  applause. 

"Again,  in  1820  and  1821,  when  Bishop  Middleton's  letter 
on  the  subject  of  Bishop's  College,  Calcutta,  filled  all  England 
with  joy,  he  was  the  principal  supporter  of  the  noble  grant  of 
5000Z.,  and  of  three  annual  grants  of  1000/.  each,  by  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  to  that  fine  Missionary  Foundation. 

"  Never  shall  I  forget  with  what  earnestness  and  warmth  of 
heart  he  exhorted  me,  when  I  was  first  coming  out  to  India  in 
June,  1832,  to  follow  in  the  steps  of  my  great  predecessors, 
Bishops  Middleton,  Heber,  James,  and  Turner  (each  of  whom 
he  considered  as  peculiarly  qualified,  in  his  time  and  order,  for 
the  circumstances  of  the  Diocese),  and  to  bend  all  my  strength 
to  support  and  invigorate  the  Propagation  and  Christian- 
Knowledge  Institutions,  together  with  those,  which  he  knew  I 
should  continue  especially  to  love,  the  Church  Missionary  and 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Societies.  This  I  have  uniformly 
aimed  at  doing,  however  feebly. 

"Such  was  the  man  in  life  ;  and,  in  the  approach  of  death, 
his  principles  shone  forth  mildly  and  meekly,  in  all  that  peni- 
tence and  humiliation  for  sin,  all  that  meek  and  firm  faith  in 
the  Great  Redeemer's  merits ;  and  when  descending  into  '  the 
valley  of  the    shadow  of  death,'  all  that  holy  repose,  without 


1845.]  BY  THE  BISIIOT  OV  CALCUTTA.  459 

particular  joy  or  triumph,  on  his  omnipotent  and  gracious 
Saviour  and  Intercessor,  which  were  in  exact  harmony  with 
the  whole  fifty  years  of  his  previous  course. 

"  Nor  do  I  doubt  that  when  future  generations,  in  India  and 
other  parts  of  our  Missions,  shall  inquire,  as  they  will,  who 
were  amongst  the  first  Founders  and  Helpers  in  those  great 
Institutions  which  planted  the  Gospel  amongst  them,  the  very 
youngest  native  children  in  the  Mission  Schools  will  lisp  out 
the  beloved  name  of  Josiaii  Pratt." 


APPENDIX  No.  I. 


ORIGINATION   OF  THE  CHURCH   MISSIONARY  SOCIKTY. 

(repiuntei)  from  rev.  h.  Venn's  appendix  to  his  funeral  sermon  on 
MR.  pratt's  death  ) 

(See  p.  13.) 

The  Church  Missionary  Society  having  now  become,  in  re- 
spect of  pecuniary  resources  and  the  extent  of  its  operations, 
one  of  the  most  important  Institutions  connected  with  the 
Established  Church,  and  having  been  eminently  blessed  of 
God  throughout  its  whole  course,  the  inquiry.  What  were  the 
first  steps  toward  the  formation  of  the  Society — who  were  the 
chief  promoters  of  the  design — and  what  was  the  character 
of  its  earliest  proceedings — will  be  one  of  deep  interest,  and 
may  afford  much  instruction. 

Scarcely  one  now  remains  who  is  able  to  speak,  from  per- 
sonal knowledge,  upon  these  points ;  and  time  will  soon  obli- 
terate all  the  fugitive  records  of  the  facts,  and  will  weaken  our 
recollections  of  what  our  fathers  have  told  us. 

The  removal  of  one,  who  was  most  intimately  connected 
with  the  Society  from  its  first  institution,  prompts  us  to  delay 
no  longer  putting  into  a  more  permanent  form  the  information 
which  is  still  accessible,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  form  the 
groundwork  of  a  more  complete  history  of  the  origin  of  the 
Society,  and  may  elicit  further  information  upon  the  subject: — 
any  such  information  the  Committee  will  be  most  thankful  to 
receive. 

The  Church  of  England  has  long  borne  witness  to  the  im- 
portance of  seeking,  through  Missionary  labours,  the  conver- 


Alp.  Xo.  I.]     ORIGINATION  OF  THE  CHURCH  MISS.  SOCIETY.     461 

sion  of  the  heathen  ; — though  in  a  way  which,  at  the  same 
time,  hands  down  a  reproachful  record  of  the  lukewarm- 
ness  of  her  own  sons.  In  1701,  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  was  instituted  by  the 
Heads  of  the  Church;  w'hich,  though  by  its  charter  having 
respect,  in  the  first  instance,  to  our  own  Colonies,  yet,  by  its 
title,  by  its  public  professions,  and  by  the  voice  of  its  annual 
preachers,  constantly  pleaded,  though  alas !  almost  in  vain,  for 
the  extension  of  the  Mission  to  the  heathen  world. 

In  1709,  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  began 
to  assist  the  Danish  Missions  in  Tranquebar  ;  and,  in  the  year 
1728,  undertook  the  sole  patronage  and  support  of  a  Mission 
to  Madras.  This  Society  was  the  honoured  instrument  of  sup- 
porting and  encouraging  the  labours  of  Schwartz  and  Gericke, 
and  many  other  eminent  Missionaries :  but  all  were  members 
of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  had  received  Holy  Orders  in 
that  Church. 

The  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  began,  about  the  year 
1733,  to  send  out  Missionaries  to  Greenland.  In  1741,  an  As- 
sociation was  established  in  London  to  assist  the  work,  which 
was  soon  extended  to  other  parts  of  the  heathen  world. 

But  it  was  not  till  during  the  closing  years  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, that  any  degree  of  zeal  in  the  cause  of  Missions  was  appa- 
rent amongst  the  Christians  generally  of  this  country.  At  that 
period,  however,  many  zealous  men,  both  amongst  the  Clergy 
and  the  Dissenters,  endeavoured  to  arouse  their  fellow  Chris- 
tians to  a  sense  of  its  importance,  through  the  means  of  the  press, 
the  pulpit,  and  concert  in  prayer. 

In  the  year  1786,  the  Missionary  work  abroad  was  adopted 
by  the  Wesleyan  Methodists  as  a  branch  of  their  operations, 
and  Missionaries  were  sent  to  the  West  Indies. 

In  1792,  the  Baptists  established  a  Missionary  Society,  to 
be  conducted  by  the  members  of  their  communion. 

In  1793,  the  Bishop  of  London  (Dr.  Porteus)  obtained, 
after  a  suit  in  Chancery,  the  management  of  funds  left  by  the 


462  ORIGINATION  OF  THE  [App.  No.  I. 

celebrated  Robert  Boyle  for  the  conversion  of  Negroes,  and 
established  a  Society  for  that  object. 

In  1795,  some  of  the  Clergy  usually  termed  Evangelical 
united  with  Dissenters  in  establishing  the  London  IVIissionary 
Society,  upon  the  principle  of  an  union  of  all  Denominations 
of  Orthodox  Christians.  The  first  Meeting  for  its  establish- 
ment was  held  21st  Sept.  1795.  But  the  great  body  of  the 
Evangelical  Clergy  could  not  unite  in  this  plan;  for  they 
had,  from  the  first,  maintained,  that  their  Missionary  operations 
ought  to  be  carried  on  in  direct  connection  with,  and  under  the 
sanction  of,  the  Church  to  which  they  belonged ;  and  they 
earnestly  desired  that  the  Clergy  of  that  Church  should  be 
employed  as  Missionaries  abroad. 

The  immediate  origination  of  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety is  closely  connected  with  the  history  of  a  Society,  formed 
by  a  few  of  the  London  Clergy  for  religious  intercourse  and 
improvement,  whose  leading  object  was  the  investigation  of  re- 
ligious truth  :  in  reference  to  which  design  they  adopted  the 
title  of  the  "  Eclectic  Society."  This  Society  held  its  first 
*  Meeting  16th  January,  1783,  at  the  Castle  and  Falcon,  Alders- 
gate  Street,  and  consisted  of  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  Rev.  Henry 
Foster,  Rev.  Richard  Cecil,  and  Eli  Bates,  Esq.  It  afterward  con- 
sisted of  about  twelve  or  fourteen  members  resident  in  London, 
and  as  many  country  members  or  occasional  visitors.  Its  Meet- 
ings were  held  once  a  fortnight,  at  the  Vestry-rpom  of  St.  John's 
Chapel,  Bedford  Row  ;  and  it  comprehended,  according  to  its 
original  design,  two  or  three  Laymen  and  Dissenting  Ministers. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  the  original  Regulations,  after 
making  a  strict  Rule  against  the  admission  of  visitors,  unless 
ballotted  for  at  a  previous  Meeting,  add,  as  an  exception — "  In 
case  of  a  Missionary,  or  some  very  extraordinary  case,  the 
Rule  relative  to  the  admission  of  strangers  may  be  dispensed 
with,  upon  being  proposed,  seconded,  and  carried  unanimously, 
the  same  evening  ;" — so  early  had  the  thoughts  of  these  excel- 
lent men  been  turned  toward  Missionary  work.     Among  the 


App.No.I]  church  missionary  society.  463 

visitors  in  subsequent  years,  under  the  designation  of  "  Missio- 
naries," occur  tlie  names  of  Johnson,  Marsden,  Martyn,  Corrie, 
and  others. 

In  this  Society,  the  questions  discussed  were  appointed  at 
the  previous  Meeting.  The  question  appointed  30th  October, 
178G,  is  thus  recorded  :  "  What  is  the  best  n)ethod  of  planting 
and  propagating  the  Gospel  in  Botany  Bay  ?"  with  a  view  to 
the  Rev.  R.  Johnson,  whose  company  was  desired  for  the  next 
Meeting.  The  question  was  discussed  13th  November,  but  Mr. 
Johnson  was  not  present. 

This  discussion  will  be  regarded  with  additional  interest, 
when  it  is  stated,  that  it  was  through  the  means  of  the  friends 
of  evangelical  religion  at  this  time  that  a  Chaplain  was  sent  out 
to  Botany  Bay ; — first  the  Rev.  R.  Johnson,  and  afterward  the 
Rev.  Samuel  INIarsden,  who  was  the  father  and  zealous  promoter 
of  the  New-Zealand  Mission:  and  that  this  appointment  of  a 
Chaplain  was,  from  the  first,  regarded  in  connection  with  the 
heathen.  This  will  appear  from  the  following  extracts  of  a 
Letter  of  the  late  Rev.  Henry  Venn,  28th  October,  1786: — 

"  I  have  received  a  letter  from  dear  Mr.  Thornton  (the  late 
John  Thornton,  Esq.),  saying  that  he,  last  Sunday,  introduced 
Mr.  Richard  Johnson  to  250  of  his  future  congregation  aboard 
the  hulk  at  Woolwich.  Through  the  influence  of  Mr.  Wilber- 
force  with  Mr.  Pitt,  he  is  appointed  Chaplain  to  Botany  Bay. 
With  what  pleasure  may  we  consider  this  plan  of  peopling  that 
far-distant  region,  and  other  openings  connected  with  the  hea- 
then, as  a  foundation  for  the  Gospel  of  our  God  and  Saviour 
to  be  preached  unto  them — when  a  vast  multitude,  whom  no 
man  can  number,  shall  call  upon  His  name — when  the  wilder- 
ness shall  become  a  fruitful  field,  and  all  the  savageness  of  the 
heathen  shall  be  put  off,  and  all  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  shall 
be  put  on.  Though  neither  I,  nor  you  who  are  yet  in  youth 
(much  less  I  who  am  stricken  in  years),  shall  be  living  on  earth 
when  this  fact  comes  to  pass,  yet  we  shall  be  well  informed  of 
it  above.     All  heaven  will  break  forth  in  that  song  of  praise, 


KJl  ORIGINATION  OF  THE  [App.No.I. 

'  Alk'liijali !  for  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  reignetli ' !  See 
what  honour  Ood  putteth  upon  them  that  love  Him  in  sincerity  ! 
'J'o  be  the  means  of  sending  the  Gospel  to  the  other  side  of  the 
globe — what  a  favour  !  Mr.  Thornton  says  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  and  Sir  Charles  Middleton  seem  much  to  approve  of 
sending  Mr.  Johnson."  (Venn's  Life  and  Letters,  p.  416,  12mo. 
edition.) 

In  1780,  February  IGth,  the  question  discussed  was,  "  What  is 
the  best  method  of  propagating  the  Gospel  in  the  East  Indies  ?" 
In  1791,  October  24th,  the  Rev.  Melville  Home,  Chaplain 
at  Sierra  Leone,  was  present  as  a  visitor,  and  a  question  was 
fixed  for  the  next  meeting,  7th  November — "  What  is  the  best 
method  of  propagating  the  Gospel  in  Africa?" 

The  next  notice  which  has  been  discovered  of  any  united 
counsel  or  effort  on  the  part  of  the  Evangelical  Clergy  in  this 
cause  is  in  connection  with  a  Clerical  Meeting  held  at  Rauceby, 
in  Lincolnshire,  on  the  Gth  and  7th  May,  1795.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Pugh  was  Incumbent  of  Rauceby  ;  and  the  Clerical  Meet- 
ing was  attended  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Robinson  (Leicester), 
Rev.  S.  Knight  (Halifax),  the  Rev.  Charles  Simeon  (Cambridge). 

At  this  Meeting  Mr.  Pugh  stated,  that  the  sum  of  4000/. 
had  been  left  by  the  Rev.  —  Jane  (an  intimate  friend  of  the  late 
Mr.  Adam  of  Wintringham),  to  be  laid  out  by  Mr.  Pugh  to 
the  best  advantage  to  the  interests  of  true  religion  ;  and  the 
opinion  of  the  Meeting  was  asked,  whether  the  money  might 
be  most  advantageously  given  to  any  scheme  already  in  progress, 
or  to  any  new  object  at  home  or  abroad?— If  to  the  last,  "the 
thing  desirable  seems  to  be,  to  send  out  Missionaries."  It  was 
determined  that  the  propriety  and  practicability  of  this  sugges- 
tion should  be  discussed  at  the  next  Meeting. 

Copies  of  MS.  notes  of  this  adjourned  discussion,  taken  by 
the  Rev.  S.  Knight,  have  been  kindly  furnished  by  his  son,  the 
Rev.  W.  Knight ;  and  those  taken  by  the  Rev.  C.  Simeon,  by 
tiic  Rev.  W.  Carus. 

It    appears    from   these    Memoranda,    that    this    adjourned 


App.  No.  I.]  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  465 

Meeting  was  held  at  Rauceby  30th  September  and  1st 
October,  1795.  There  were  fourteen  Clergymen  present: 
but  Mr.  Robinson  was  not  one  of  the  number  on  this 
occasion. 

The  discussion  was  begun  upon  this  question  : — "  Is  it  prac- 
ticable to  send  out  a  Missionary  ?  and  where  ?  And  how  can 
it  be  done  to  the  greatest  advantage  ?" 

After  some  general  discussion,  in  which  reference  was  made 
to  the  exertions  of  the  Moravians  for  the  last  sixty  years,  and 
to  the  success  of  the  Elland  Society  in  educating  young  men 
with  a  view  to  the  Ministry  at  home,  the  question  was  narrowed 
to  the  following  terms  : — 

"  Is  it  practicable  or  expedient  to  form  an  Institution  for 
educating  young  men  professedly  with  a  view  to  their  becoming 
Missionaries  under  the  sanction  of  the  Established  Church  ?" 

After  some  general  conversation,  the  arguments  which  had 
been  alleged  on  each  side  of  the  question  were  collected  and 
formally  stated  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Meeting,  the  Rev.  S. 
Knight. 

The  arguments  in  favour  of  such  an  Institution  were 
grounded  upon  the  duty  of  attempting  something  in  so  impor- 
tant a  cause ;  that  persons  educated  expressly  for  Missionary 
work  might  be  more  serviceable,  and  have  better  access  into 
the  field  of  labour ;  and,  at  any  rate,  that  they  might  be  pro- 
fitably employed  at  hohie,  if  they  could  not  ultimately  succeed 
abroad. 

As  encouragements  to  the  undertaking,  it  was  stated  that 
there  was  reason  to  hope  that  Government  would  be  friendly ; 
that  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  would 
give  assistance ;  and  that  the  Bishop  of  London,  Dr.  Porteus, 
had  declared,  in  a  Letter  to  Mr.  Knight,  his  willingness  to 
patronize  and  send  out  young  men  from  the  Elland  Society  as 
Missionaries  to  the  West-Indian  Islands. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  question  was  urged — the  great 
difficulty  of  finding  proper  men — the  danger  of  their  losing 

II  H 


466  ORIGINATION  OF  THE  [App.  No.I. 

tlieir  Missionary  zeal  under  scholastic  training — the  questionable 
advantage  of  such  special  training — and  that  greater  good  could 
be  done  with  the  same  money  at  home.  It  was  also  doubted  whe- 
ther a  foreign  Mission  ought  to  be  confined  to  the  Established 
Cliurch. 

The  further  consideration  of  the  first  question  was  post- 
poned to  the  next  Meeting.  It  was  agreed  to  solicit  the  El- 
land,  Hotham,  and  Eclectic  (London)  Societies,  to  deliberate 
on  this  subject,  and  to  communicate  the  result  of  their  delibe- 
rations ;  and  it  was  recommended  to  the  members  to  make  the 
subject  matter  of  prayer. 

On  the  8th  of  Feb.  1796,  the  subject  was  again  brought 
under  the  consideration  of  the  Eclectic    Society  in   London ; 
the    question     being    proposed    by    Mr.    Simeon    in     these 
terms : — "  With  what  propriety,  and  in  what  mode,  can  a  Mis- 
sion be  attempted  to  the  heathen  from  the  Established  Church  ?" 
Mr.  Simeon  stated   the  circumstances  connected  with  the 
legacy  of  4000/.,  and  the  discussion  at  Rauceby.     There  were 
seventeen  members  present,  and  ten  took  part  in  the  discussion. 
The  majority  were  not  prepared  to  recommend  any  immediate 
measures  beyond  the  education  of  young  men  for  this  special 
purpose,  either  by  the   Elland  or  some  other  Society.     The 
difficulty  of  procuring  proper    men — the    uncertainty  of   ob- 
taining the   sanction  of  the  Heads  of  the  Church — the  fear  of 
interfering  with  the  Societies  for  Promoting  Christian  Know- 
ledge, and  for  the   Propagation  of  the  Gospel — the  need  of 
zealous  Ministers  at  home — were  severally  insisted  upon.     By 
some  it  was  proposed,  that  a  Memorial  on  the  subject  should  be 
presented  to  the  Bishops,  and  to  the  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge :  not  more  than    two  or  three  of  those 
present  on  this  occasion  seem  to  have  thought,  that  something 
more  might  be  attempted ;  and  that  the  sending  of  Missionaries 
abroad,  instead  of  lessening  the  work  at  home,  would  (as  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Scott  expressed  himself)  "  set  things  stirring — set 
up  a  spirit  of  prayer." 


App.  No.  I.]  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  407 

In  the  Manuscript  Notes  of  tlie  Rev.  Basil  Woodcl,  one  of 
the  Members  present,  a  remark  has  been  added,  in  his  own 
handwriting,  but  of  a  later  date  than  the  rest — 

"  This  conversation  proved  the  foundation  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society." 

As  the  designation  "  Church  Missionary  "  was  not  adopted 
till  the  year  1812,  this  note  must  have  been  added  subsequently 
to  that  period. 

Though  the  hopes  of  those  who  were  most  zealous  in  the 
cause  could  not  but  have  been,  in  some  degree,  deferred  by  the 
result  of  this  discussion,  yet  the  subject  was  not  dropped :  it 
was  made  the  matter  of  frequent  discussion  amongst  the  in- 
dividual Members,  and  of  prayer  ;  and  consultations  were  held 
with  those  who  were  likely  to  promote  the  scheme.  Such  a 
consultation  is  recorded  in  Mr.  Wilberforce's  Life,  Vol.  11. 
p.  251 : — "  1797,  Nov.  9th.  Dined  and  slept  at  Battersea  Rise, 
for  Missionaiy  Meeting.  Simeon,  Charles  Grant,  Venn. 
Something,  but  not  much,  done.     Simeon  in  earnest." 

On  the  ISth  of  Feb.  1799,  the  subject  was  once  more  brought 
before  the  Eclectic  Society.*     The  evening  was  occupied  with 

*  The  Society  consisted  at  this  time  of  the 

1 1  Rev.  John  Newton.  1 1  Rev.  W.  J.  Abdy. 

1 1  Rev.  Henry  Foster.  t  +  Rev.  John  Venn, 

t     Rev.  George  I'attrick.  t    Rev.  Basil  \Voodd. 

1 1  Rev.  Thomas  Scott.  t  J  Rev.  William  Goode. 

Rev.  Richard  Cecil.  1 1  Rev  John  Davies. 

t    Rev.  John  Goode.  1 1  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt, 

t     Rev.  John  Clayton.  1 1  John  Bacon,  Esq. 

The  Country  INIembei's  were — 

Rev.  James  E.  Gambier.  Rev.  John  ^VoodrofFe. 

Rev.  Richard  Lloyd.  t  Charles  Grant,  Esq. 

t  Rev.  Charles  Simeon.  Rev.  James  Stillingtleet. 

Rev.  Thomas  Robinson.  Rev.  Edward  Burn. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Gilbert.  Rev.  Henry  Jowett. 

Rev.  Robert  Storry.  Rev.  \\'illiam  Farislu 

Rev.  John  Simons.  Rev.  John  Pope. 

Rev.  Isaac  Crouch.  Rev.  Earle  Gilbee. 

t  Present  18th  of  March  at  the  Eclectic  Meeting. 
t  Present  12th  of  April  at  the  formation  of  the  Society. 

H  H  2 


46S  ORIGINATION  OF  THE  [Arr.  No.  1. 

"a  general  conversation  on  the  subject  of  a  Mission  connected 
with  the  Evangehcal  part  of  the  Church  of  England." 

On  the  18th  of  March  a  question  was  formally  proposed  by 
the  Rev.  John  Venn,  in  these  terms: — "What  methods  can 
we  use  more  effectually  to  promote  the  knowledge  of  the 
Gospel  among  the  heathen?"  Fourteen  Members  were 
present.  Mr.  Venn  opened  the  discussion,  by  insisting  upon 
the  duty  of  doing  something  for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen. 
He  stated  reasons  which,  in  his  judgment,  prevented  the  Clergy 
from  joining  the  (London)  Missionary  Society;  and  the 
necessity  that  those  who  associated  themselves  in  this  work 
should  have  such  a  community  of  sentiments,  as  to  enable 
them  heartily  to  work  together. 

He  laid  down  three  chief  principles  which  ought  to  be  kept 
in  view : — 

"  1.  Whatever  success  is  expected  must  be  expected  entirely 
through  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  His  agency  must 
enlarge  the  hearts  of  Christians:  His  providential  guidance  must 
lead  the  way  and  open  the  door.  God's  providence  must  be 
folloxved,  not  anticipated. 

"  2.  All  success  will  depend  upon  the  kind  of  men  employed. 
They  must  be  men  of  the  Apostolic  spirit,  such  as  Brainerd — 
men  not  careful  about  the  things  of  this  world. 

"  3.  It  is  far  better  to  commence  a  Mission  on  a  small  scale, 
and  let  it  grow  according  to  circumstances,  than  to  make  great 
attempts  at  first." 

Upon  these  principles  Mr.  Venn  "  would  not  propose  to 
raise  funds  in  the  first  instance :  this  would  be  beginning  at  the 
wrong  end.  In  order  duly  to  acknowledge  the  hand  of  God  in 
this  work,  let  the  following  Resolutions  be  adopted  by  the 
Society — 

"  *  1.  That  it  shall  be  regarded  as  the  duty  of  every  Member 
of  this  Society,  in  his  individual  and  social  capacity,  to  ad- 
monish his  people  to  promote  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  heathen. 

"  '  2.  That  it  be  a  constant  petition  in  the  prayer  used  at  this 


App.  No.  I.]  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  469 

Meeting — and  that  it  be  recommended  in  our  daily  devotions 
— that  God  would  implant  in  our  minds  a  deep  concern  for  the 
nations  lying  in  heathen  darkness,  and  make  us  instrumental  in 
conveying  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  to  some  of  them. 

"  *  3.  That  each  Member  do  seriously  direct  his  meditation, 
study,  and  inquiry,  to  the  best  method  of  beginning  and 
carrying  on  a  Mission — the  discovery  of  a  proper  place  in  which 
to  begin  the  Mission — the  proper  qualifications  of  the  persons 
to  become  Agents  of  the  Mission. 

"  *  4.  That  each  Member  strive  to  influence  others  in  this 
cause,  by  visiting  or  speaking  to  three  at  least  of  his  Christian 
friends,  endeavouring  to  excite  the  same  spirit  in  them,  directing 
their  thoughts  to  the  same  object,  and  to  look  out  for  men 
endued  with  the  true  Missionary  spirit. 

"  '  f  f  it  should  please  God,  as  we  may  well  hope  it  will,  to 
direct  us  to  the  proper  sphere  of  labour,  and  to  the  selection  of 
two  or  three  persons  of  the  true  spirit,  then,  as  a  next  step — 

"  '  5.  That  this  Society  should  take  into  consideration,  what 
are  the  proper  methods  to  be  pursued  for  employing  those 
Missionaries  among  the  heathen.' 

"  One  important  point  to  be  considered,  respects  the  general 
character  of  the  Mission.  I  think  it  ought  to  be  founded  upon 
the  Church-principle,  not  the  high-C\mr:c\\  principle. 

"  Regarding  the  great  difficulty  of  finding  Ministers,  I  would 
rather  send  out  Laymen,  than  none  at  all ;  and  allow  Laymen 
to  perform  many  functions  usually  confined  to  Ministers  at 
home.  This  practice  is  justified  by  the  conduct  of  the  Society 
for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge.  If  it  be  objected  that  this 
is  contrary  to  strict  rules  of  the  Establishment,  I  reply,  that  I 
would  do  a  great  deal  to  keep  up  the  Establishment,  but  not  sacri- 
fice the  good  of  souls.  Laymen  may  go  out  as  Catechists:  not 
to  administer  the  sacrament ;  to  baptize  only  in  cases  of  necessity  ; 
but  to  instruct  the  people  and  to  gather  a  Church.  Afterward 
we  must  find  a  Minister  :  if  not,  get  the  Catechist  ordained." 

The  foregoing  account  is  taken  from  the  short-hand  notes  of 


470  ORIGINATION  OF  THE  [Arr.  No.  I 

tlie  Rev.  W.  Goode :  Mr.  Venn  has  not  himself  preserved  any 
record  of  liis  own  remarks  on  this  occasion.*  The  notes  of 
what  was  said  by  the  other  speakers  are,  comparatively  speaking, 
very  scanty. 

It  will  not  be  thought  that  too  great  prominence  is  given  to 
Mr.  Venn's  sentiments,  when  it  is  stated  that  he  appears  to 
have  had  the  chief  share  in  maturing  the  incipient  design  ;  and 
that,  after  the  formation  of  the  Society,  he  was  requested  to 
draw  up  an  Account  or  Prospectus  of  the  Society,  which  was 
the  foundation  of  all  its  future  proceedings,  and  which  w'ill  be 
found,  on  comparison,  to  embody  many  of  the  principles  which 
were,  on  this  occasion,  so  fully  developed. 

*  The  following  are  Mr.  Pratt's  notes  of  Mr.  Venn's  observations,  being 
the  only  notes  he  made  of  that  important  Meeting : —  * 

Mr.  Venn  observed : — 

3 .  All  success  in  Missionary  undertakings  must  be  expected  from  tlie 
Spirit  of  God.     God  is  to  be  sought  on  all  occasions. 

In  proportion  as  the  thing  is  important,  the  foundation  must  be  laid 
in  prayer. 

God's  providence  must  be  followed,  not  anticipated.  We  must  wait  for 
His  motion.  If  He  diffuse  a  Missionary  spirit  on  any  to  offer  themselves 
for  the  work — this  Avill  be  His  leading. 

Let  us  imitate  herein  the  primitive  times.  The  nearer  we  approach  to 
the  principles  and  manners  of  the  ancient  Church  the  better. 

2.  Success  will  depend  under  God  on  the  persons  sent  on  the  Mission. 
He  that  goes  forth  should  be  taught  of  heaven  :  should  have  heaven  in 

his  heart :  should  tread  tlie  world  under  his  foot. 

Can  you  make  such  men  ?     No  !  God  must  have  made  them. 

3.  It  is  better  that  a  Mission  should  proceed  from  small  beginnings! 
and  advance  according  to  circumstances,  rather  than  that  we  should  enter 
upon  a  large  scale  at  first. 

Nature  follows  this  rule.  Colonies  creep  from  small  begiimings. 
Christianity  was  thus  first  propagated. 

Every  Mission  must  support  itself.  A  large  undertaking  will  be  its 
own  ruin — mole  met  sua. 

These  three  principles  Mr.  Venn  illustrated  in(l)  the  Primitive  spread 
of  the  Gospel;  and  (2)  by  the  Missions  of  the  Moravians. 


Arp.  No.  I.]  CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  471 

Several  of  the  subsequent  speakers  objected  to  the  adoption 
of  Resolutions  by  the  Society,  as  not  according  with  its  character. 

Mr.  Ciiarles  Grant  urged  the  founding  of  a  Missionary 
Seminary. 

The  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt  advocated  the  adoption  of  the  Reso- 
lutions, as  "  breathing  a  quiet,  humble,  dependent  spirit." 
"  Let  us  regard  ourselves  as  forming  the  Society.  Let  us  con- 
sider to  whom  it  would  be  desirable  to  communicate  our  plans. 
Let  us  not  proceed  to  choose  a  Committee  till  w^e  have  a  larger 
Meeting.  Let  some  little  Address  be  drawn  up,  stating  our  de- 
signs, and  how  we  wish  to  act  in  following  the  leading  of  Provi- 
dence. It  should  be  known  that  there  is  such  a  design.  Fix  upon 
persons  to  write  to.     Must  be  kept  in  evangelical  hands." 

The  Rev.  Charles  Simeon,  with  characteristic  distinctness  of 
purpose,  and  promptitude  of  zeal,  proposed  three  questions — 

"  What  can  we  do  ? — when  shall   we   do  it  ? — How  shall  we 

do  it  ?" "  What  can  we]do  ?     We  cannot  join  the  (London) 

Missionary  Society ;  yet  I  bless  God  that  they  have  stood  forth. 
We  must  now  stand  forth.  We  require  something  more  than 
Resolutions — something  ostensible — something  held  up  to  the 
public.     Many  draw^  back  because  we   do  not  stand  forward. 

When  shall  we  do  it  ?     Directly :  not  a  moment  to  be 

lost.     We   have   been   dreaming    these   four   years,  while  all 

England,  all  Europe  has  been  awake. How  shall  we  do  it  ? 

It  is  hopeless  to  wait  for  Missionaries.  Send  out  Catechists. 
Plan  two  years  ago.     Mr.  Wilberforce." 

The  Rev.  T.  Scott  stated  the  objections  which  he  felt  to  the 
plan  of  the  (London)  Missionary  Society,  but  hoped  that  good 
would  be  done.    "  We  must  not  expect  too  perfect  Missionaries." 

The  Rev.  W.  Goode  urged  the  duty  of  making  the  attempt ; 
the  difficulties  suggested  only  proved  that  there  was  not  a  Mis- 
sionary Spirit  abroad ;  "  form  a  plan :  publish  it — send  it  to 
those  friends  who  are  likely  to  assist — and  thus  see  what  can 
be  done." 


472  ORIGINATION  OF  THE  CHURCH  MISS.  SOC.     [Arr.  No.  1. 

The  result  of  this  Meeting  was  a  general  consent  that  a 
Society  should  be  forthwith  formed,  by  inviting  a  few  of  those 
upon  whose  concurrence  in  their  own  views  they  could  rely ; 
and  that  a  Pi-ospectus  of  their  proceedings  should  be  afterward 
prepared ;  and  that  then  their  plans  should  be  laid  before  the 
Heads  of  the  Church. 

The  next  Meeting  of  the  Eclectic,  on  the  1st  of  April,  was 
devoted  to  the  same  subject,  and  the  Rules  of  the  proposed 
Society  were  considered  and  settled. 

On  the  12th  of  April  a  Meeting  was  held  at  the  Castle-and- 
Falcon  Inn,  Aldersgate  Street,  "  For  the  purpose  of  Instituting 
a  Society  amongst  the  Members  of  the  Established  Church  for 
sending  Missionaries  among  the  heathen." 

The  Rev.  John  Venn  was  in  the  Chair,  and  detailed  the  object 
of  the  Meeting.  Sixteen  Clergymen  (nine  of  them  belonging 
to  the  Eclectic  Society)  and  nine  Laymen  composed  the  Meeting. 

The  subsequent  events  belong  to  the  history  of  the  Society. 
It  has  been  the  object  of  this  statement  only  to  put  on  record 
the  preliminary  steps  connected  with  its  "  origination." 


APPENDIX  No.  II. 


Mil.   PUAJt's    DKDJCATOUY    PHAYEK    at    laying    TlIK    FOUNDATION    STONE 
OF  THE  NEW  BUILDINGS  OF  THE  MISSIONARY  INSTITUTION  AT  ISLINGTON. 

(See  p.  149.) 

Almighty  and  Eternal  God — Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost — 
Thee  we  adore  and  praise  as  God  over  all,  blessed  for  ever- 
more !  All  things,  O  Lord,  come  of  Thee  ;  and  of  Thine  own 
we.  Thy  servants,  render  to  Thee.  We  bless  Thy  Holy  Name, 
that  here,  in  this  land,  where  our  fathers  bowed  down  to  stocks 
and  stones,  the  work  of  their  hands.  Thou  hast  caused  the 
light  of  Thy  Gospel  to  shine;  and  that  in  these  distant  islands, 
which  were  once  dark  places  of  the  earth,  and  full  of  the  habi- 
tations of  cruelty,  Thou  hast  turned  multitudes  from  the  power 
of  Satan  unto  God.  Notwithstanding  our  sins,  yet  such 
is  Thy  mercy,  that  Thou  continuest  among  us,  even  unto 
this  day,  the  Word  of  Thy  Truth  and  the  Ordinances  of  Thy 
Worship. 

We  confess,  O  Lord,  with  shame  and  confusion  of  face,  that 
we  have  not  rendered  unto  Thee  according  to  Thy  goodness 
unto  us.  Endued  with  the  singular  blessings  of  Thy  Gospel, 
Thou  gavest  us  therewith  the  solemn  charge,  "  Freely  ye  have 
received,  freely  give  !"  And  Thou  hast  placed,  in  the  workings 
of  Thy  providence,  a  large  portion  of  mankind  under  the  power 
or  within  the  influence  of  this  country.  Pardon,  Heavenly 
Father,  for  the  sake  of  Thy  beloved  Son,  our  backwardness  and 
sloth  in  making  known  Thy  salvation  among  men.  Lay  not 
to  our  charge  the  souls  which  have  perished  in  sin ;  nor  let  the 
blood  of  our  brother  cry  any  more  against  us. 


474  DEDICATORY  PRAYER  AT  THE  [Arr.  No.II. 

We  praise  and  magnify  Thy  name,  that,  in  these  our  days, 
Thou  hast  graciously  stirred  up  muhitudes  in  our  land  to 
seek  the  salvation  of  the  heathen  and  of  the  outcasts  of  Israel. 
We  thank  Thee,  O  Lord,  that  Thou  hast  put  it  into  our 
hearts  to  help  forward  the  knowledge  of  Thy  Gospel  in  the 
world. 

We  are  met,  in  Thy  name,  to  raise  a  habitation  for  Thee. 
Let  that  house,  which  Thy  servants  desire  to  build  on  the  foun- 
dation now  laid  in  Thy  sight,  become  indeed  Thy  dwelling. 
On  the  seminaries  and  universities  of  our  country  pour  the 
abundant  grace  of  Thy  Holy  Spirit,  that  fit  and  able  ministers 
of  Thy  Word  may  be  greatly  multiplied.  On  this  and  on  all 
other  places  where  Thy  servants  devote  themselves  to  a  prepa- 
ration for  Thy  work  among  the  heathen,  let  Thy  special  blessing 
abide.  Prepare,  we  beseech  Thee,  in  Thy  gracious  providence, 
a  due  supply  of  men,  separated  in  Thy  wisdom  from  their  early 
days,  who  may,  from  year  to  year,  enter  this  abode  with  humble 
and  devoted  hearts ;  and  here,  in  diligence  and  watchfulness, 
by  self-denial  and  by  prayer,  in  faith  and  in  charity,  may  be 
nurtured  in  sovnid  and  useful  knowledge,  heavenly  wisdom,  and 
holy  zeal,  for  those  labours  to  which  it  may  please  Thee  to  call 
them.  Let  all  who  shall  enter  here  be  such  as  are  moved 
inwardly  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  truly  called,  according  to  the 
will  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  take  upon  them  the  office  of 
ministering  Thy  Word  among  the  heathen.  And  grant  to  Thy 
servants  whom  Thou  hast  appointed  over  them,  and  to  all  who 
shall  hereafter  take  upon  themselves  this  solemn  charge,  the 
continual  supply  of  Thy  grace  ;  that  they  may  wisely  and 
patiently,  with  meekness,  firmness,  and  love,  train  up  the 
Ministers  and  Missionaries  of  Thy  Holy  Word.  And  let  Thy 
presence.  Almighty  Saviour,  be  ever  with  Thy  servants  who 
shall,  from  year  to  year,  go  forth  from  this  place  to  labour 
among  the  heathen.  Replenish  them  so  with  the  truth  of  Thy 
doctrine,  and  so  adorn  them  with  innocency  of  life,  that,  both 
by  word  and  example,  they  may  faithfully  serve  Thee  in  Thy 


Arp.  No.II.]     ISLINGTON  MISSIONARY  INSTITUTION.  473 

Gospel,  and  preach  among  the  Gentiles  Thy  unsearchable 
riches,  to  the  glory  of  Tiiy  name.  Let  them  ever  have  in 
remembrance  into  how  high  a  dignity  and  to  how  weighty  an 
office  and  charge  they  are  called.  Send  them  forth  as  Thy 
messengers,  watchmen,  and  stewards,  to  teach  and  to  admonish, 
to  feed  and  provide  for  Thy  family,  to  seek  for  Thy  sheep  that 
are  dispersed  abroad,  and  for  Thy  children  who  are  in  the 
midst  of  this  evil  world,  that  they  may  be  saved  through  Thee 
for  ever.  Incline  them  by  Thy  grace  to  give  themselves  wholly 
to  their  sacred  calling ;  so  that,  as  much  as  lieth  in  them,  they 
may  apply  themselves  wholly  to  this  one  thing,  and  draw  all 
their  cares  and  studies  this  way.  By  continual  prayer  for  the 
heavenly  assistance  of  Thy  Holy  Spirit,  and  by  daily  reading 
and  weighing  of  the  Scriptures,  grant  that  they  may  grow 
riper  and  stronger  in  their  ministry  and  labours.  Though 
earthen  vessels,  yet,  by  the  excellency  of  Thy  power,  let  them 
convey  to  the  perishing  heathen  the  rich  treasure  of  Thy 
Gospel.  Preserve  them,  by  Thy  grace,  in  purity  and  holiness, 
in  meekness  and  humility,  in  zeal  and  love.  Increase  their 
faith.  Let  patience  have  in  them  its  perfect  work.  And  let 
Thy  name  be  glorified  by  their  labours  in  the  everlasting 
salvation  of  many  souls. 

Finally,  O  Lord,  we  humbly  commend  unto  Thee  the  work 
of  Thy  servants,  labouring  for  Thee  throughout  the  whole 
world.  It  is  not  by  might  nor  by  power  of  man  that  we 
look  to  prevail,  but  by  thy  Spirit,  O  Lord  our  God.  Guide 
all  the  counsels  of  Thy  servants  for  the  advancement  of  Thy 
kingdom.  Prepare  the  world  for  Thy  Gospel.  O  Lord  of 
the  harvest,  sent  forth  labourers  into  Thy  harvest.  Give  unto 
Thy  servants  their  portion  of  Thy  work.  Let  nothing  be 
done  through  strife  or  vain  glory ;  but,  in  lowliness  of  mind, 
let  each  esteem  other  better  than  themselves.  Be  Thou  ever, 
unto  the  end  of  the  world,  according  to  Thy  promise,  with 
all  who  go  forth  in  Thy  name  ;  and  let  it  please  Thee,  of  Thy 
gracious  goodness,  shortly  to   accomplish  by  the  labours  of 


■170  DEDICATORY  PRAYER.  [Apr.  No.  II. 

Thy  servants  the  number  of  Thine  elect,  and  to  hasten  Thy 
kingdom ;  that  we,  with  all  tliose  who  are  departed  in  the 
true  faith  of  Thy  holy  name,  may  have  our  perfect  con- 
summation and  bliss,  both  in  body  and  soul,  in  Thy  eternal 
and  everlasting  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 


APPENDIX  No.  III. 


Tlin   BISHOP  OF  MASSACHUSKTT3  TO  IlKV.  J.  HIJAIT. 

(Seep.  162.) 

"  BitisTor,,  State  of  Rhode  Island, 
"■July  15,  18in. 
"  REV.  AND  DEAR  SIR — 

"  Your  much  esteemed  favour  of  August  last  has  long  since 
been  received,  with  the  books  explaining  the  objects  and  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  for  which  favour 
be  pleased  to  accept,  yourself  and  the  Committee  of  the  Society, 
my  most  cordial  thanks.  Any  like  benefit,  in  future,  will  be 
gratefully  accepted ;  and  will  no  doubt  contribute  much  to 
the  promotion  of  zeal  and  godliness  in  this  part  of  the  Lord's 
vineyard. 

"  It  is  with  us  a  subject  of  great  joy  and  thankfulness  to  the 
Father  of  Mercies,  that  the  Church  of  England  is  rising  in  her 
strength,  and  putting  on  her  beautiful  garments ;  that  a  spirit 
of  zeal  for  the  cause  of  truth  and  the  extension  of  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom  is  apparently  increasing  within  the  pale 
of  the  establishment ;  and  that  your  Zion  is  becoming  the  joy, 
as  it  long  has  been  the  admiration,  of  the  ivhole  earth. 

"  I  herewith  send  you  an  Address  to  the  Churches  and  a 
Sermon  preached  before  the  Clergy  of  the  Diocese,  which  is 
no  otherwise  worth  your  perusal,  than  as  it  may  give  you  some 
information  of  the  present  state  of  religion  in  this  country, 
especially  as  relating  to  the  subject  of  your  communication. 


478  BISHOP  GRISWOLD'S  LETTER.  [Afp.  No.III. 

Most  gladly  would  we  unite  with  you  in  sending  Missionaries 
to  Africa  and  the  East ;  and  hope  that  the  time  is  not  far 
distant,  when  some  of  our  young  men  will  be  zealously  disposed 
to  engage  in  that  charitable  and  interesting  work.  At  present, 
however,  we  have  not  funds  nor  other  means  of  doing  much  in 
any  Missionary  labours,  not  even  of  supplying  tlie  wants  of  our 
own  country.  It  would  scarce  be  credited  on  your  side  the 
water,  what  multitudes  there  are  in  these  United  States  destitute 
of  the  Gospel  ministrations :  others  there  are,  in  still  greater 
numbers,  who,  though  not  wholly  destitute,  are  but  occasionally 
and  very  imperfectly  supplied  by  itinerant  preachers,  not  duly 
qualified  to  teach.  In  any  labours  of  this  kind,  and  in  every 
thing  which  will  promote  the  cause  of  piety  and  godliness,  we 
will  most  cordially  co-operate  with  you,  so  far  as  our  means 
and  power  will  permit ;  and  a  correspondence  on  this  subject 
with  the  Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  will  be 
highly  pleasing  to  our  Churches  here.  The  Protestant  Epi- 
scopal Church  is,  we  have  good  reason  to  believe,  rapidly 
increasing  here,  not  only  in  number,  but  in  that  which  is  far 
more  desirable,  inward  piety  and  zeal  for  God.  Religious 
prejudices,  which  have  heretofore  operated  very  much  to  our 
disadvantage,  are  happily  diminishing,  and  giving  place  to  a 
more  catholic  and  Christian  spirit  of  charity  and  zeal.  May 
this  spirit  increase  till  it  fills  the  world,  and  all  mankind  shall 
see  the  salvation  of  our  God  and  Saviour. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be, 

"  With  much  respect  and  esteem, 

"  Your  sincere  friend  and  brother  in  the  Lord, 

"  Alexander  V.  Griswold, 

"  B'lxhop  of  Massachusetts,  lihode  Island, 
New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont." 


Arr.  No.III.]  479 

THE  BISHOP  OF  PHILADELPHIA   TO  REV.  J.  PRATT. 

(Sec  p.  102.) 

"  Philadelphia,  Dec.  10,  1810. 
"  REV.  SIR — 

"  An  apology  is  requisite  for  the  length  of  time  which  has 
elapsed  since  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  August  19,  1815, 
with  the  valuable  communications  accompanying  it.  I  have 
not  been  without  grateful  sensibility  for  the  favour  done  to  me 
in  this  instance.  But  the  delay  has  been  principally  owing  to 
my  wish  to  send  to  you,  by  a  safe  hand,  for  the  information  of 
your  respectable  Committee,  some  documents,  which  may  shew 
the  efforts  made  in  the  Diocese  under  my  superintendence  for 
the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer.  They  are 
feeble  in  comparison  of  those  made  in  the  mother  country ; 
but  we  trust  that  the  good  work  is  on  the  increase.  The  popu- 
lation of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  is  peculiarly  unfavourable 
for  the  combination  of  the  endeavours  of  Episcopalians  in 
evangelical  labours.  All  the  large  bodies  of  emigrants  from 
Europe,  at  and  ever  since  the  first  settlement  of  the  province, 
were  of  denominations  different  from  ours.  So  that  although 
there  are  scattered  members  of  our  communion  over  the  whole 
face  of  the  State,  it  is  in  very  few  places  that  they  are  so  con- 
centrated, as  to  be  competent  in  each  to  the  building  of  a 
church  or  the  maintenance  of  a  minister.  This  evil  was  im- 
mensely aggravated  during  the  revolutionary  war,  by  there  not 
being  left  any  clergymen  within  its  limits,  except  three  of  us  in 
this  city. 

"The  state  of  our  Church,  under  the  Divine  blessing,  has 
been  gradually  improving  ever  since  the  introduction  of  autho- 
rity to  ordain.*     With  the  hope  of  furthering  the  same  object, 

*  Bishop  Scabury  was  the  first  Bishop  in  the  United  States.  He  was 
consecrated  by  three  Scotch  Bishops,  at  Aberdeen,  Nov.  14, 1784,  but  he 
was  the  only  one  of  the  American  Bishops  who  derived  consecration  from 
that  source.  The  present  Episcopal  Clmrch  is  a  genuine  daughter  of  the 
Church  of  England.     The  first  Bi.shops,  Dr.  White  and  Dr.  Provoost, 


4S0  BISHOP  WHITE'S  LETTER.  [App.  No.III. 

we  instituted  a  few  years  ago  a  Society,  whose  Constitution  and 
Reports  1  herewith  send.  We  have  also,  within  tliese  few 
weeks,  organized  another  Society,  whose  endeavours  are  to  be 
extended  to  new  States  westward  of  Pennsylvania.  I  enclose 
their  Constitution,  and  have  the  pleasure  of  mentioning  that 
a  Missionary  is  already  on  his  tour. 

"  It  may  help  to  give  some  idea  of  the  state  of  this  Diocese, 
to  enclose  two  or  three  of  the  journals  of  our  last  annual 
conventions.  This  shall  accordingly  be  done,  and  with  them 
there  will  be  the  journal  of  the  last  triennial  convention  of 
our  Church  in  the  United  States. 

"  I  was  desirous  of  transmitting  to  you  the  series  of  the 
Reports  of  our  Bible  Society,  instituted  in  this  city  at  the  close 
of  the  year  1809,  which  was  the  first  in  the  United  States. 
An  enclosed  list  will  shew  how  much  they  have  been  multiplied. 
It  appears  that  our  stock  of  early  Reports  is  exhausted  ;  but 
I  send  the  last  three. 

"  Our  Female  Bible  Society  has  also  had  the  satisfaction  of 
seeing  their  example  followed  in  various  places.  Perhaps  its 
Constitution  and  Reports  may  be  acceptable,  and  they  are 
therefore  sent. 

"  I  shall  commit  my  package,  with  entire  confidence  of  its 
safe  delivery,  to  a  very  respectable  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance, 
John  Sargeant,  Esq.,  Representative  in  Congress  of  this  City, 
who  visits  England  on  a  public  concern,  highly  important  to 
the  commercial  interests  of  this  country. 

"  I  desire  to  present  to  your  worthy  Committee  my  respectful 
acknowledgments  of  their  attention,  and 
"  I  am,  Rev.  Sir, 

"  Your  brother  and  very  humble  servant, 

"  William  White." 


were  consecrated  Feb.  4,  17^7,  and  Dr.  jNIadison  in  Sept.  1700,  all  three 
at  Lambeth  Palace ;  and  from  these  all  the  subsequent  Bishops  have 
derived  their  consecration. 


APPENDIX  No.  IV. 


niOGRAPHICATi  NOTICIS  OF  MRS.  CIIARLOTTK  PRATT,   WHO  niF.n,   NEAR 
BIHMINGIIAM,  OCT.  20,  1831,  AGKD  .54  YEARS. 

(See  p.  402.) 

We  collect  some  Notices  of  a  late  exemplai'y  Christian,  with 
the  special  view  of  stirring  up  and  directing  others.  These 
brief  records  will  shew  in  how  many  ways  opportunities  are 
afforded,  in  the  present  day,  for  the  exertions  of  such  females 
as  have  time  at  their  command  and  the  love  of  Christ  power- 
fully constraining  them,  in  promoting  the  cause  of  truth  and 
charity,  among  them  who  are  far  off  as  well  as  them  who  are 
near.  These  Notices  are  furnished  by  a  near  relative  of  the 
deceased. 

The  prevailing  character  of  our  departed  sister  was  rctii'ing 
and  humble  ;  united,  however,  with  remarkable  energy  and 
perseverance  in  all  that  she  thought  to  be  her  duty — and  this 
often  when  her  body  demanded  quiet  and  repose.  She  doubt- 
less hastened  her  own  decay  by  over-exertion ;  but  she  could 
never  be  persuaded  to  spare  herself,  if  any  thing  would  thereby 
be  thrown  on  others  which  she  thought  would  be  injurious  to 
them. 

When  she  entered  the  house  of  any  of  her  relatives,  for  even 
but  an  hour  or  two,  she  always  seemed  to  look  round  to  disco- 
ver who  was  ill,  or  in  trouble,  or  wanting  help ;  and  there 
she  was  invariably  found  :  and  the  more  so,  if  there  was  any 
other  society  to  be  had  which  ofltered  more  attractions ;  for 
then  she  would  apply  herself  to  nurse  the  sick  or  relieve  the 
burdened,   that,   by    taking    the    employment   of  others    upon 

I  I 


482  BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES  OF  [Avr.  No.  IV. 

herself,  she  might  set  tliem  at  hberty  for  rest  and  enjoyment. 
She  endeared  herself,  in  this  way,  to  all  the  young  people  of 
the  family  ;  who,  by  first  appreciating  her  kindness  to  them- 
selves, were  led  duly  to  estimate  her  character  in  other  respects, 
and  will  long  remember  her  example.  She  always  used  the 
influence  thus  acquired  over  them,  in  directing  them  to  activity 
for  the  good  of  the  ignorant  and  poor  at  home ;  and  in  the 
special  support  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  for  the 
benefit  of  the  heathen :  the  interests  of  that  Society  had,  from 
its  very  beginning,  lain  near  her  heart. 

She  removed  from   Birmingham  to  Harborne  (about  three 
miles)  for  the  last  few  years  of  her  life.     While  in  Birmingham, 
her  time  was  chiefly  occupied  in  assisting  the  charitable  insti- 
tutions connected  with  St.  Mary's  Chapel :  she  exerted  herself 
in  rendering  the  Missionary  Association  of  that  Congregation 
steadily  effective ;    and,    at   the    same   time,   set  on  foot  and 
entirely  conducted  a  similar  Association  at  Harborne,  which 
she    maintained   as  long  as   she   lived.     In  pursuit  of  these 
objects  she   would  often  walk  miles  on  cold  and  wet  winter 
days,  and  would  labour  hard  to  gain  a  few  shillings  from  the 
neighbouring  farmers ;  going  time  after  time,  with  unwearied 
patience,  under  circumstances  which  would  have  discouraged 
any  other  person.     She  contributed,  herself,  to  the  Society  all 
that  she  could  spare ;  and  kept  up  her  interest  in  its  proceed- 
ings by  constantly  studying  its  publications,   so  that  she  was 
a  kind  of  living  record  of  its  proceedings.     Her  intervals  of 
time,  not  needed  for  other  work,  were  divided  between  knitting 
stockings  for  the  poor  and  making  small  articles  which   she 
sold  among  her  friends  for  the  supply  of  a  Missionary  Box. 
She  was  never  to  be  seen  unemployed  :  if  she  stayed  but  a  few 
minutes  in  a  place,  her  work  or  her  knitting  was  with  her. 
She  had  interested  several  shopkeepers  in  Birmingham,  who 
took  those  articles  which  she  could  not  sell  herself,  and  tried 
to  dispose  of  them  for  her.     The  produce  of  these  articles  she 
would  never  put  into   the  collection  paid  in  under  her  own 


App.  No.  IV.]  MRS.  CHARLOTTE  PRATT.  483 

name,  lest  it  should  appear  larger  than  those  of  other  persons  ; 
but  she  always  put  it  without  observation  into  the  Missionary 
Box,  and  let  it  appear  in  her  accounts  as  the  produce  of  that 
box. 

She  had  been  particularly  interested  last  year  [18t^l]  in 
the  Tinnevelly  Mission ;  and  had  begged  of  her  friends,  and 
contributed  largely  herself,  so  that  she  sent  a  considerable 
donation  for  that  particular  object. 

After  she  took  up  her  residence  at  Harborne,  she  devoted 
herself,  most  regularly,  to  the  Sunday  and  Adult  Schools,  and 
to  visiting  the  poor  to  the  utmost  of  her  ability,  and  often  even 
when  ill  health  or  bad  weather  would  have  rendered  it  prudent 
for  her  to  desist :  nothing  but  a  strong  sense  of  duty  would 
have  impelled  her  to  these  exertions,  which,  latterly  in  parti- 
cular, were  often  felt  by  her  as  a  burdensome  effort ;  but  she 
always  resisted  this  feeling,  and  ascribed  it  to  her  own  torpor 
and  indolence.  She  kept  up  these  efforts  all  through  a  great 
part  of  the  winter  of  1830,  while  her  health  was  manifestly 
sinking.  She  lefl  home  in  the  spring  of  1831 ;  and  when  she 
returned,  in  August,  was  so  reduced  as  to  be  almost  incapable 
of  occupying  herself  in  any  way  :  but  her  interest  in  the  poor 
had  not  diminished.  She  was  unable  to  talk  much  :  but  when 
she  was  drawn  out,  as  she  frequently  was,  in  a  Bath  chair,  she 
would  carry  little  comforts  to  the  sick  ;  nourishing  things  which 
were  provided  for  herself,  she  would  take  them  a  part  of;  to 
some,  she  gave  little  books,  which  she  had  bought  for  them  in 
London ;  telling  them  to  take  care  of  them,  for  they  were  the 
last  that  she  should  ever  give  them. 

She  was  suffering  much  from  extreme  weakness  and  languor, 
but  her  patience  and  fear  of  giving  trouble  were  remarkable ; 
and  she  expressed  the  greatest  gratitude  for  even  common 
attentions,  appearing  to  have  constantly  on  her  mind  a  sense  of 
the  great  goodness  of  God  to  her  in  every  circumstance  of  her 
illness,  and  in  every  act  of  kindness  done  to  her  by  her  friends. 
She  frequently  regretted  that  the  necessary  care  of  her  body 

ii2 


484  BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES  OF  [Apr.  No.  IV. 

took  up  SO  much  of  her  thoughts;  and  vvoukl  say,  "It  had  not 
used  to  be  so,"  She  seemed  greatly  impressed  with  the  im- 
portance of  preparing  for  death,  before  sickness  and  weakness 
rendered  it  impossible  to  think.  Sickness,  she  said,  was  not 
the  time  for  the  great  work  :  she  could  read  and  think  but  little 
now,  and  she  felt  her  mind  in  a  state  of  torpor  and  deadness. 
She  wished  that  she  loved  her  Saviour  more.  She  had  no 
hope  but  in  Him;  and  must  come  as  a  sinner  to  His  Cross. 
When  she  was  drawn  out  in  her  chair,  she  generally  had  with 
her  Baxter's  "  Dying  Thoughts,"  which  was  marked  by  her  in 
many  places,  and  was  the  only  book  that  she  read,  except  her 
Bible,  in  these  her  dying  hours. 

She  exerted  herself  greatly,  even  to  the  last  day  of  her  life, 
in  giving  a  word  of  exhortation  to  those  whom  she  saw.  She 
sent  for  several  poor  women ;  and  gave  to  them  the  stockings 
which  she  had  remaining  of  her  own  knitting,  with  advice 
suited  to  the  case  of  each.  When  her  danger  became  known, 
great  anxiety  was  expressed  by  the  poor  to  see  her  once  more  ; 
and,  to  the  utmost  of  her  power,  she  complied  with  their 
request.  Several  came  from  a  considerable  distance,  in  the 
hope  of  taking  leave  of  her ;  and  many  now  bear  the  most 
affecting  testimonies  to  her  character  in  life,  and  the  loss  which 
they  have  sustained  in  her  death.  One  poor  woman  observed 
— "  She  never  came  near  us,  without  doing  some  good  to  our 
bodies  and  souls ;  and  I  can  never  forget  how  she  begged  of 
me,  the  last  time  I  saw  her,  to  be  sure  to  meet  her  in  heaven :" 
another  said — "  She  was  so  humble — we  shall  never  see  her 
like  again :"  a  third,  that  she  felt  she  had  lost  a  mother  in  her : 
and  these  are  but  specimens  of  the  uniform  testimony  of  those 
among  the  poor  who  had  known  her  best.  Even  the  day 
before  her  death,  she  was  interesting  herself  in  the  case  of  a 
poor  woman  dying  in  consumption.  This  woman's  present  and 
everlasting  concerns  had  occupied  much  of  her  thoughts  during 
the  last  i^ew  days.  She  begged  sheets  and  clothing  for  her ; 
and  sent  a  pious  young  woman  in  the  parish  to  read  and  talk 


App.  No.  IV.]  MRS.  CHARLOTTE  PRATT.  485 

to  her,  and  begged  that  she  would  receive  all  that  this  young 
woman  should  say  as  a  message  from  herself. 

She  had  several  times  in  the  course  of  her  illness  inquired 
after  a  lady  in  Birmingham.  On  being  told  that  she  had  done 
so,  this  lady  observed — "  I  dare  say  she  remembered  seeing 
me  not  long  ago  under  a  heavy  trial  ;  and  when  I  said  to  her, 
'  I  know  not  whether  to  look  backward  or  forward,'  she  an- 
swered, '  Look  UPWARD.'  " 

Thither,  indeed,  her  own  eye  was  habitually  directed.  She 
steadily  contemplated  the  public  events  of  the  day,  as  "  signs 
of  the  times ;"  but,  latterly,  wished  to  hear  no  details,  and  was 
solicitous  only  for  the  cause  of  God  in  the  world,  and  com- 
mitted to  Him  the  safety  of  those  whom  she  was  about  to  leave 
in  this  troubled  scene. 

On  Thursday  and  Friday  (she  died  on  Saturday)  she  begged 
a  friend  to  finish  up  all  the  little  articles  which  she  had  made 
for  the  Missionary  Society,  that  she  might  dispose  of  them 
before  she  died :  some  she  chose  out,  as  presents  to  various 
members  of  her  family,  for  which  she  paid  the  Missionary 
Box  as  though  she  had  sold  them ;  and  then  sold  the  rest  to 
her  friends,  and  seemed  to  feel  relief  in  thus  adjusting  these 
little  concerns.  On  Saturday  she  delivered  up  her  Missionary 
accounts  to  a  friend,  with  remarkable  clearness ;  but  this  was 
an  effort  which  exhausted  her.  Her  venerable  friend  and 
pastor,  the  Rev.  Edward  Burn,  had,  soon  after,  a  parting  inter- 
view with  her ;  in  which,  after  he  had  commended  her  to  God 
in  prayer,  she  took  a  marked  and  affecting  leave  of  him, 
declaring  her  entire  trust  in  the  Saviour,  and  expressing  a 
grateful  sense  of  the  benefits  which  she  had  for  many  years 
derived  from  the  ministry  of  her  friend.  Mr.  Burn  left  her 
about  three  o'clock.  She  soon  after  fell  into  a  deep  sleep,  and 
it  is  not  certain  that  she  was  ever  afterward  conscious.  The 
power  of  speech,  and  even  of  motion,  was  gone  for  the  last  six 
hours,  without  any  appearance  of  suffering.  She  drew  her 
last  breath  a  little  before  midnight,  and  passed  into  that  world 


486        BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES  OF  MRS.  C.  PRATT.    [Arr.  No.  IV. 

of  light  and  holiness  and  joy,  for  which  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
been  graciously  preparing  her.  By  His  Divine  power  she  had 
been  early  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Saviour;  and  had 
been  enabled  for  many  years  to  shew  that  the  mind  which  was 
in  Him  was,  in  its  measure,  in  her  also.  Tender  and  suscep- 
tible in  her  feelings,  yet  she  always  put  the  most  charitable  con- 
struction on  the  conduct  of  others ;  and  would  often  reprove 
such  as  indulged  an  uncharitable  spirit,  more  effectually  by  her 
silence  and  gravity  than  she  could  have  done  in  words.  Faith- 
ful and  judicious  as  an  adviser,  she  was  a  friend  to  be  trusted 
without  a  fear — disinterested  in  no  common  degree — a  sister 
"born  for  adversity" — sympathizing  and  consoling — making 
your  case  her  own — and  thinking  no  sacrifice  of  personal  com- 
fort too  great  for  the  relief  of  others. 


APPENDIX  No.  V. 


GRATEFUL  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  A  BELOVEO  PASTOR  TAKEN  TO  HIS  REST. 
BY  A  LAYMAN. 

(llF.PRlNTED  FROM  THE  "  CHRISTIAN  OBSERVER"  FOR  AUGUST   1847.) 

There  exists  a  great  proneness  in  the  natural  heart  to  idohze 
the  creature,  and  to  forget  the  Creator.  There  is,  and  there 
ever  will  be,  much  tendency  to  exalt  the  instrument  and  to 
forget  the  Hand  that  uses  it.  But  this  evil  need  not  stop 
the  exhibition  of  the  real  good.  It  may  surely  be  affirmed, 
that  a  most  endearing  relationship  does  exist  between  a  pastor 
and  his  flock,  and  between  individual  pastors  and  individual 
sheep.  St.  Paul  says,  '  Though  ye  have  ten  thousand  instruc- 
tors in  Christ,  yet  not  many  fathers  :  for  in  Christ  Jesus  I  have 
begotten  you  through  the  Gospel.'  And  notwithstanding  any 
occasional  appearances  to  the  contrary,  the  fact  remains  as  a 
sweet  solace,  that  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  are,  by  their  true 
flock,  esteemed  very  highly  in  love  for  their  work's  sake. 

Can  the  Christian  minister  be  esteemed  too  highly,  if  he 
be  regarded  as  the  appointed  servant  of  the  Great  Shepherd, 
and  if  he  be  faithful  and  loving  in  the  discharge  of  that  trust  ? 
Is  it  wrong  for  a  spiritually-minded  Christian  to  rejoice  that 
he  finds  the  regular  ministrations  of  his  pastor  to  keep  pace 
with  his  own  need;  and  that,  in  proportion  as  he  himself  grows 
in  experience  of  the  corruption  of  his  own  nature — of  the  grace 
and  sufficiency  of  the  Lord  Jesus — of  the  glory  and  beauty  of 
that  adorable  Redeemer — of  the  necessity  for  larger,  stronger 
efforts  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God, — he  also  perceives, 
by  sweet  communication  of  puhlic  instruction,  apart  from  the 
least  private  or  personal   communion,   that   his  minister  also 


488  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  [Air.  No.  V. 

speaks  in  fuller,  warmer,  intenser  terms,  of  the  same  truths  ? 
Can  there  fiiil  to  be  found  between  such  spirits  a  chain  of 
union,  the  links  of  which  and  the  strength  of  which  will 
perhaps  never  be  recognised,  till  in  heaven,  or  in  future  blessed- 
ness, it  is  made  manifest,  without  disguise,  and  with  perfect 
ability  to  call  it  the  'work  of  God?'  The  stated  and  perio- 
dical review  of  his  own  character  and  progress  which  a 
Christian  takes,  cannot  fail  to  bear  testimony  to  the  effect  of 
such  a  ministry.  Their  sentiments  harmonize — the  doctrines 
deepen  in  importance  to  their  mutual  appreciation — they  grow 
up  together  into  '  the  Head.'  O  blessed  day !  when  the 
glorious  result  is  made  manifest — when  the  reality  of  all  this 
influence  shines  forth,  and  each  can  trace  the  Hand  that  has 
led  both  by  a  way  that  landed  them  where  He  himself  shall 
feed  them,  who  is  the  Lamb  that  sitteth  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne  ;  who  will  also  lead  them  to  fountains  of  living  waters  ; 
and  being  God,  shall  wipe  all  tears  from  their  eyes. 

Such  a  connection  did  once  exist  between  a  very  humble 
individual  and  a  pastor  of  well-known  worth.  In  vain  has  the 
affectionate  heart  looked  out  for  a  suitable  or  an  adequate 
testimony  to  that  excellence :  other  points  in  that  character 
may  have  been  more  fully  appreciated,  this  could  only  receive 
its  testimony  from  experience.  The  few  words  that  follow  are 
intended  as  an  expression  of  the  deepest  gratitude  to  God  as 
the  giver  of  this  good,  and  as  a  memorial  of  grateful  love 
towards  a  departed  pastor.  The  little  quotations  from  sermons, 
used  as  illustrations,  are  taken  from  memoranda  made  from 
memory  as  they  were  delivered,  and  therefore  must  be  liable  to 
deficiency ;  but  still,  it  is  hoped,  they  will  serve  the  purpose. 

In  recalling  the  worth  of  the  pastor's  ministrations  enjoyed 
for  nearly  twenty  years,  these  prominent  features  present  them- 
selves for  notice : — 

I.  The  constant,  copious,  unvarying,  enlarged  statement 
of  the  fulness  of  Christ — 'His  unsearchable  riches.'  It  was 
reckoned   '  a  nvace  given '  to   declare  these.     The  theme  was 


App.  No.  v.]  MR.  PllATT'S  MINISTRY.  489 

felt  to  be,  and  made  to  be  felt  to  be,  '  inexhaustible.'  The 
glorious  truth  of  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  often  called  forth 
deep,  pious,  instructive  discourses :  witness  a  course  of  these 
on  Col.  i.  ii.  in  the  year  1825,  at  St.  Mary  Woolnoth's. 

*  Hold  the  divinity  of  your  Lord  as  you  hold  your  life,'  was 

the  deep-toned  exhortation,  after  statements  calculated  to 
make  it  take  effect. 

*  Take  it  as  the  result  of  experience,  that  we  are  only  happy 

in  proportion  as  we  believe  Christ,  and  live  upon  Him.' 
'The  Christian  is  the  only  free  man.  The  blood  of  Christ 
cleanses  away  his  guilt ;  the  grace  of  Christ  fortifies  his 
soul ;  the  power  of  Christ  calms  his  soul.' 
'  If  I  am  conformed  to  Christ,  I  must  hold  all  created  good 
subservient  to  Him  and  to  His  service.  I  must  receive 
with  patience  all  He  sees  fit  to  lay  upon  me.  I  must 
bear  with  meekness  all  I  receive  at  the  hand  of  man.  I 
must  hold  myself  a  sacrifice  to  Him  of  body,  soul,  and 
spirit.' 

*  Consider  Christ  as  the  procurer,  giver,  and  sustainer  of 

spiritual  life.  *  *  *  He  sustains,  by  visitations  of  the 
Spirit,  constant  communications  by  the  means  of  grace. 
The  Christian  should  never  be  content  without  the  presence 
of  Christ  in  ordinances.' 

*  When  you  come  to  die,  the  more  habitual  your  experience 

has  been  of  Christ,  as  the  giver  and  sustainer  of  your 
spiritual  life,  the  more  naturally  (as  a  Christian)  will  you 
be  able  to  say,  /  linom  in  whom  I  have  believed,  &c. ; 
and  then  as  a  matter  of  fact,  and  not  of  boasting,  to  say 
with  Si.  TsLu\,  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  hept 
the  faith.' 

*  Expect  the  decay  of  nature.     Look  for  it.    Rom.  viii.  17.' 

*  I£e  that  liveth  and  believeth.     No  faith  in  another  world. 

There  all  is  sight,  all  feeling.' 

*  Let  us  not  follow  Christ  afar  off,  lest  like  Peter  we  deny 

Him.' 

*  Endeavour  to  grow  in  adoring  love  to  our  Saviour.     It  is 


490  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  [Apr.  No.  V. 

this  which  makes  life  pleasant,  duty  easy,  affliction  light. 
John  xxi.  20.' 

*  Are  we   ignorant — (ind  we  are — Jesus  is  the  Wonderful 

Counsellor.  Are  we  weak — and  we  are — He  is  the 
Mighty  God.  Are  we  afraid  of  death,  lie  is  the  ever- 
lasting Father.  Are  we  in  trouble,  He  is  the  Prince  of 
Peace.' 
'  The  Christian  submits  his  understanding,  will,  and  affec- 
tions to  the  authority  of  Christ  as  Lord;  gratefully 
accepts  the  salvation  of  Jesus;  with  exulting  joy  and 
confident  affiance  in  Christ  Jesus,  sees  the  condemnation 
of  sin  I'emoved — the  dominion  of  sin  broken — the  defile- 
ment of  sin  cleansed.' 

*  The  consideration  of  Christ  leads  to  unbounded,  grateful, 

immoveable  confidence  in  Him.' 
'  A  view  of  Christ  in  His  offices  of  Prophet,  Priest,  and 

King,  conveyed  to  the  soul  by  the  Holy  Spirit :  this  is 

the  true  consolation  of  the  soul.' 
'  There  is  no  real  want  of  the  Christian  but  it  is  anticipated 

in  the  promises  of  God  in  Christ.' 

*  Hear  Him  in  His  instructions ;  No  man  ever  sjmke  like 

this  man. — In  His  invitations  ;  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 
labour,  and  I  will  give  you  rest :  rest  from  guilt,  in  my 
sacrifice;  from  temptation,  in  my  power;  from  defile- 
ment, in  my  grace.  Hear  Him  in  His  commands,  His 
threatenings,  His  promises.' 

II.  The  glory  and  work  of  the  Spirit  was  also  another  topic 
of  frequent,  full  discourse. 

'  O  honour  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  oft  his  injunction.' 

*  We  look  for  the  Spirit  to  give  us  all  grace  necessary  for 

salvation ;  for  all  grace  to  exercise  for  the  glory  of  God ; 
for  His  presence  in  the  exercise  of  that  grace.' 
'  The  Holy  Spirit  gives  efficacy  to  those  discoveries  which 
He  makes  of  the  Saviour  to  the  soul ;  where  they  are 
genuine,  they  are  always  practical. 

*  All   His  dealings  tend  to  the  restoration  of  the  Divine 


App.  No.  v.]  MR.  PRATT'S  MINISTRY.  491 

Imac:e  on  the  soul.     His  sacred  monitions  are  mild  and 
gentle ;  they  are  the  still  small  voice.' 

*  The  Spirit  clears  the  mind  of  error,  discovers  the  fulness 

of  Christ,  and  moulds  the  will  and  affections.' 

*  The  comforts  of  God  never  come  to  an  unholy  bosom.' 

III.  There  was  an  apparent  deference  to  the  minds  of  the 
hearers,  as  persons  able  to  receive  and  judge  of  the  doctrine 
set  forth.  It  was  more  like  communication  than  dictation — in 
the  manner  of  St.  Paul  making  his  address  to  Christians  ;  and 
to  them  not  as  ignorant  and  indifferent  listeners.  This  secured 
attention  and  affection. 

IV.  The  discourses  were  indeed  full  of  truth,  and  always 
contained  some  weighty,  succinct  statements  which  could  be 
well  remembered,  and  became  as  marks  where  the  rest  of  the 
seed  was  sown.     The  following  may  illustrate  this  feature. 

'  When  temporal  blessings  come  right,  they  come  added.' 

*  The  rest  of  the  covenant.'     Ps.  cxvi.  7 ;  Heb.  viii. 

'  Rest  for  the  understanding.     All  shall  know  me.' 
'  Rest  for  the  conscience.     Your  sins  and  iniquities  will 
I  remeniber  no  more  J 

*  Rest  for  the  will.     /  will  put  my  laws  in  their  mind.' 

*  Rest  for  the  heart.     I  will  he  to  them  a  God,  and  they 

shall  he  to  me  a  people.' 

*  Sin  disquiets  the  conscience.     Discontent  disturbs  the  mill. 

Doubts  perplex  the  understanding.     Distrust   troubles 
the  heart.' 

*  Bring  every  imagination,  every  thought,  every  feeling, 

every  word  which  falls  below  the  high  standard  of 
Christian  charity,  to  the  mercy  of  God  for  pardon,  and 
to  the  (jrace  of  God  for  renewal.' 
'  Look  for  grace  to  keep  the  heart  open ;  for  though  opened 
once  by  the  power  of  Divine  grace,  its  natural  tendency 
is  to  close.' 

*  We  do  not  come  to  tiie  knowledge  of  our  duty  by  chance  ; 

we  must  study  what  it  is.' 
'  We  want  power   in  addition   to  motive.     Faith  is  [)ower ; 


4i;2  RECOLLECTIONS  OV  [An-.  No.  V. 

for  faitli  loads  to  prayer.     A  man  of  faith  will  be  a  man 
o^  prayer ;  and  a  man  of  prayer  will  be  a  man  of  faith.' 

*  The  Christian  in  the  warmest  exercise  of  his  affections  has 

his  judgment  in  full  sway.' 

*  The  perfection  of  our  being  on  earth  is  to  do  the  will  of 

God,  as  the  angels  in  Heaven ;  and  to  bear  the  will  of 
God,  as  the  angels  would  bear  it  if  they  were  upon  earth.' 

*  Patience  is  to  stay  as  long  as  God  says  stay ;  to  beai-  as 

long  as  God  says  bear ;  to  come  when  God  says  come.' 
'  The  Christian's  day  is  too  short,  his  night  too  long.     The 
Christian  has  no  allowed  season  of  listlessness  and  torpor.' 

*  .Be  ye  stedfast,  in  j)rinciples,  as  opposed  to  error ;  in  p7'o- 
fession,  as  opposed  to  wavering ;  in  ^jieiy,  as  opposed  to 

rcorldliness.' 

*  The  Christian's  most  holy  times  are  his  most  painful  times. 

He  is  at  his  best  when  he  has  most  conflict.' 

*  Be  more  in  earnest  about  the  object  of  faith  than  faith 

itself.' 

*  The  awakened  heart  lies  open  to  Divine  visitation,  and 

beats  in  unison  with  the  Divine  will.' 
'  Holy  acts  become  holy  habits.' 

*  No  strength  of  nature  can  sustain  us  in  spiritual  conflicts, 

nor  any  weakness  of  natui-e  prevent  our  victory.     The 
holiest  souls  feel  the  conflict  most.' 

\'.  A  constant  injunction  and  reference  to  closet  duties. 

*  Be  in  the  habitual  practice  of  retirement.' 

'  It  should  be  your  daily  habit ;  and  resorted  to  under 
special  difficulty.  There  in  your  closet  study  the  Word 
of  God ;  and  by  meditation  endeavour  to  see  the  majesty 
and  mercy  of  God.  By  prayer  call  down  the  grace  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may  have  fellowshi])  witli  the 
Father  and  His  Son.  Having  bohlness  to  enter,  and 
having  an  high  priest  over  the  house  of  God,  draw  near ; 
and  with  a  heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  seek 
inward  holiness,  and  obtain  grace  for  grace.  Thus  will 
filial  fear  and  holy  love  fill   your  hearty.     The  Divine 


Arp.  No.V.]  MR.  PRATT'S  MINISTRY.  493 

Majesty  will  inspire  the  onc-the  Divine   Mercy  will 
cherish  the  other.' 

<  This  is  the  happy  life  of  a  Christian.' 

'What  are  your  wants,  hindrances,  difficulties,  sorrows, 
cares  ?  Who  are  your  enemies  ?  What  are  your  desires, 
plans,  purposes?  'firing  all  in  heUeving  prayer  to  a  God 
in  covenant,  faithful  to  His  promises.  1  Thess.  iii.  11, 12.' 

<  Value  the  Holy  Scri])tures  more  highly,  study  them  more 

diligently,  follow  them  more  closely,  diffuse  them  more 

zealously.' 
'  Keep  on  your  way  intelligently,  willingly,  thankfully.' 
«  Pantings  after  holiness,  and  watchings  after  conformity  to 

Christ,  are  the  surest  indexes  of  real  communion  with 

Christ.' 
<  Here  is  the  perfection  of  prayer— importunity  with  suh- 

mission.' 
'  We  receive  the  Scriptures  in  their  fulness,  for  there  is  no 
more  to  be  added.     We  receive  them  in  their  simplicity, 
for  we  take  no  comment  as  authoritative.    James  i.  21.' 
'  The  sincere  Christian's  inquiry  is,  How  shall  I  read  the 
Word  of  God  with  the  most  profit  ?     How  shall  I  be 
delivered  from  that  self-seeking  which  perverts  my  judg- 
ment?' 
*  Let  nothing  come  between  you  and  your  closet.' 
'  In  the  closet,  faith  gives  the  brightest  evidence  of  things 

not  seen,  the  liveliest  subsistence  to  things  hoped  for.' 
'  We  retire  to  have  communion  with  our  Father.' 
'  We  retire  that  our  souls  may  be  opened  to  the  gracious 

influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.' 
<The  feelings  of  the  Christian  are  wrought  in  his  closet. 
There,  in  the  open  face  of  Jesus,  beholding  as  in  a  glass 
the  glory  of  God,  he  is  changed  into  the  same  image.' 
'  Is  not  this  Divine  employment  I  Brethren,  do  you  flag 
in  this  pursuit?  Do  you  sometimes  find  it  irksome? 
Then  seek  Divine  renewal.' 

VI.  There  was  much  uniformity  in  the  discourses  ;  all  solid 


494  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  [Arr.  No.V. 

trutli,  well  wrought  out.     If  the  hearer  felt  a  difference,  he  was 
sensible  it  was  in  himself,  not  in  his  minister. 

VII.  Much  might  be  added  on  the  calm,  dignified  mode 
of  delivei'y,  and  the  good  taste  exhibited  in  the  expressions. 
The  Word  of  God  was  never  heard  to  be  called  by  any  other 
name  than  that,  or  the  Scriptures.  Even  the  word  'Bible' 
seemed  to  fall  short  of  the  reverence,  which  the  mind  was  ready 
to  pay  to  this  precious  revelation  of  the  will  of  God.  And 
these  things  are  of  importance.  Do  not  those  who  deal  most 
closely  and  really  with  Divine  things,  speak  of  them  in  terms 
the  most  sacred  and  refined  ?  And  this  personal  association 
with  Divine  realities  produced  the  effect  of  an  'unction'  which 
was  manifest.  *  Ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  and 
ye  know  all  things,'  was  a  text  often  applied  by  this  pastor  to 
the  flock  of  Christ ;  and  they  who  heard  him  felt  the  same  was 
true  of  their  pastor. 

VIII.  There  was  an  interesting  mode  of  exhibiting  Scrip- 
ture characters.  Abraham,  Jacob,  Joseph,  David,  Peter, 
Jonah, — all  seem  to  have  been  set  forth  by  him  with  a  touch 
that  was  his  own,  and  thus  rendered  familiar  and  dear  as  if  they 
were  our  brethren, — our  well-known  friends. 

'  Beneath  all  St.  Peter's  apparent  self- abhorrence  there 
lurked  much  unmortified  self-complacency.' 

'  The  Apostle  was  left  to  himself,  to  humble  the  man  ;  was 
recovered,  to  exalt  the  Saviour.' 

'  Brethren,  all  sin  is  unnatural  to  that  state  into  which  grace 
brintj^s  the  regenerate  soul.' 

'  Well  did  Peter  learn  the  lesson,  Be  sober,  he  sober.' 

'There  is  no  encouragement  to  sin  in  the  history  of  such 
characters  as  Jonah  and  Samson :  the  one  an  example 
of  the  sins  of  the  flesh,  the  other  of  the  sins  of  the  spirit.' 
'  Had  Jonah  been  a  hypocrite,  we  should  not  have  been 
so  much  surprised.  How  soon  he  forgets  his  vows. 
How  his  besetting  sin  returns  upon  him.     The  filthincss 


Arr.  No.  V.]  MR.  PRATT'S  MINISTRY.  49r) 

of  the  spirit  is  far  more  (langoroiis  than  even  that  of  the 
flesh.' 
'  The  little  maid  was  as  much  appointed  to  tell  Naaman  of 
Ehsha,  as  Elisha  was  appointed  to  cure  Naaman.  The 
parents  of  this  maid  would  doubtless  have  rejoiced  had 
they  known  what  good  she  was  raised  up  to  do.' 

IX.  There  was  an  interesting  application  of  Divine  Truth 
to  the  various  relations  of  life,  and  to  providential  events ;  and 
there  were  cheering  views  of  the  future  days  of  the  Church  of 
Christ.  Each  opening  year  had  its  address  to  heads  of  families, 
to  children,  to  females,  to  friends,  to  married,  unmarried,  to 
servants. 

The  following  extracts  may  illustrate  these  points  : — 

1.  Micah  vi.  9,  The  voice  of  the  Lord  crieth  in  the  city;  a 

Sermon  on  the  state  of  our  beloved  country,  2nd  Jan.  1831. 
<  The  three  national  sins  charged  upon  Israel,  chargeable 
upon  us,  viz. : — 

*  National  Ingratitude,  see  verses    3,    4,    5. 
„        Ignorance,  „  6,   7,    8. 

„        Injustice,  „         10,11,12. 

'  Without  national  piety  we  cannot  expect  national  blessing. 
If  we  are  not  humble  believers,  we  ai-e  wicked  Achans. 
The  balance  seems  at  this  moment  to  be  trembling  in 
the  scale,  whether  the  prayers  and  intercessions  of  the 
righteous,  offered  by  an  Almighty  Intercessor,  shall  avail 
to  avert  the  threatened  judgment;  or  whether,  like  the 
intercession  of  Abraham  of  old,  they  fail  from  the  amount 
of  ungodliness  prevailing.' 

2.  The  coming  of  Christ  in  the  kingdom  of  grace  ! 
'Valleys  of  all   that  is  mean,  low,  and  sensual,  exalted. 

Mountains  of  pi'oud  thoughts  brought  into  subjection  to 
the  obedience  of  Christ.  Rough  and  tortuous  paths  of 
prejudice  and  habit  straightened  and  made  smooth.  The 
signs  of  the  times  argue  its  near  approach.  Diffusion  of 
useful  know  lodge ;    reformation  of  religion ;    revival  of 


496  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  [Arp.  No.  V. 

learning;  sound  principles  of  practical  liberty  ;  colonial 
power ;  co-operation  of  foreign  powers ;    rise  of  useful 
institutions.' 
3.  On  female  duties. 

'Take  the  characters  of  holy  women  as  found  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. As  a  wife,  imitate  Sarah  ;  as  a  pei-secuted  woman, 
look  at  Hannah  ;  as  a  friend  of  the  poor,  look  at  Tabitha  ; 
as  a  devout  Christian,  look  at  the  Virgin  Mary,  who 
though  she  was  once  repulsed  for  intruding  her  own 
feelings,  nevertheless  returned  to  that  pious  pondering  in 
her  heart  of  the  doctrines  and  teaching  of  her  blessed 
Son;  as  a  helper  of  the  Church,  look  at  Phoebe;  as  an 
aged  woman,  look  at  Anna.  Whence  all  this? — We  ai^e 
created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  worha.  There  is  an 
expression  in  our  Communion  Service  which  seems  to 
carry,  further  than  is  usually  conceived,  the  idea  of  that 
course  of  good  works  which  is  appointed  for  the  Christian. 
It  occurs  in  the  prayer  of  the  Post  Communion,  "And 
we  most  humbly  beseech  Thee,  O  Heavenly  Father,  so 
to  assist  us  with  Thy  grace,  that  we  may  continue  in  that 
holy  fellowship,  and  do  all  such  good  works  as  Thou  hast 
prepared  for  us  to  walk  in."  As  if  it  would  refer  to  those 
duties  which  are  connected  with  our  respective  situations 
in  life.  It  is  our  duty  diligently  to  inquire  for  and 
faithfully  to  fulfil  those  duties  peculiar  to  our  providential 
circumstances ;  in  so  doing,  j^ou  will  find  sufficient  to 
employ  your  head  and  heart  and  hand  from  morning  to 
night.  If  you  are  at  all  conscious  of  listlessness,  or  find 
time  tedious,  you  may  be  quite  sure  that  your  heart  is 
not  riiiht  in  the  si^rht  of  God.' 


And  now,  to  conclude  this  very  incompetent  Memorial,  two 
Memoranda  of  Sermons  shall  be  given,  which  may  afford  a 
specimen  of  their  general  character. 

"  '  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed 
on  Thee,  because  he  trusteth  in  Thee.'     Isa.  xxvi.  3. 


Arp.  No.V.]  MR.  PRATT'S  MINISTRY.  497 

"  There  is  in  Jeremiah  xvii.  5,  G,  a  striking  passage  to 
ilhistrate  the  one  before  us,  '  Cursed  be  the  man  who  maketh 
flesh  his  arm,'  &;c.  '  Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  the 
Lord.'  This  is  the  testimony  of  God's  Word  from  beginning 
to  end.  The  purposes  and  promises  of  God  toward  His  Church 
are  constantly  unfolding.  The  chapter  is  the  Prophet's  song 
of  praise,  in  contemplation  of  the  final  triumph  of  the  Church 
over  the  world.  Babylon  was  the  old  enemy  of  the  Jewish 
nation  :  what  we  read  concerning  it  is  still  highly  interesting ; — 
there  she  lies,  desolate  and  ruined,  a  type  and  pledge  that  the 
New  Testament  Babylon  shall  in  like  manner  come  to  nought. 
Observe — 

I.  The  character  of  those  spoken  of.  They  stay  upon  God. 
II.  Their  privilege      -----     Perfect  peace. 
III.  Their  duty        - To  trust. 

This  staying  upon  God  is  a  brief  delineation  of  the  Christian 
character ;  his  thoughts,  imaginations,  every  plan  which  his 
heart  suggests,  in  all  these  he  stays  upon  God ;  all  centres  in 
Him.  There  are  certain  marks  of  staying  upon  God.  1.  With 
the  understanding ;  an  intelhgent  recognition  of  what  God  is, 
and  what  we  are.  (Exhortation  to  those  who  call  upon  God 
in  sickness  and  danger,  in  a  blind  ignorant  dependence,  not 
knowing  themselves  nor  Him.  Many  such  call  and  are  not 
heard.  Prov.  i.)  The  Christian  stays  upon  God  as  a  humble 
penitent.  2.  With  sincerity  (Isa.  xlviii. ;  1.  12.)  we  must  kneel 
to  obtain  this  spirit.  3.  With  entireness.  A  turning  away 
from  the  creature.  The  creature  is  at  hand ;  the  friend — the 
minister.  Sense  sees  the  creature.  Faith  uses  the  creature 
only  as  an  instrument  to  lead  to  God.  (Isa.  xxxi.)  Woe  to 
them  that  go  down  to  Egypt.  Egypt  might  help  if  God 
pleased;  but  such  helps  are  mean  in  themselves.  It  is  with 
unfeigned  simplicity  that  we  must  trust.  There  must  be  no 
evil  heart  of  unbelief  in  departing.     It  must  be  a  sincere  return. 

K  K 


498  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  [App.  No.  V. 

Hoseaxiv.  is  a  true  picture  of  this  sincere,  discerning,  undivided 
staying  upon  God.  4.  It  must  be  with  faith.  All  the  attri- 
butes of  God  are  engaged  on  our  behalf;  what  the  Divine 
wisdom  sees  fit,  Divine  love  is  ready  to  bestow  by  the  working 
of  Divine  power.  In  all  His  ways  such  an  one  acknowledges 
God.  His  dangers  and  afflictions  drive  him  closer  to  his  God. 
(Ps.  Ivi.  1.)  He  lays  his  most  secret  inmost  soul  before  God. 
God  grant  we  may  know  more  of  this  character. 

"  II.  The  privilege.  Peace,  peace,  (in  Hebrew,  intensity 
by  reduplication,)  all  possible  peace.  What  a  true  believer 
may  need  at  any  time.  Peace  here,  peace  there,  peace  now, 
and  peace  for  ever.  For  his  personal  comfort  he  shall  have 
peace ;  with  his  brethren,  peace ;  with  the  world  around, 
peace ;  in  doubt  of  mind,  peace  ;  peace  in  the  soul.  Conscious 
guilt  disquiets  the  mind  till  God  speaks  pardon.  This  is  His 
own  prerogative,  *I  create  peace;'  (Isa.  Ivii.  19;  Heb.  xiii.) 
Peace  around,  in  the  circle  closest  round,  and  in  the  next  to  it. 
(Rom.  xii.)  If  it  be  possible,  live  peaceably  with  all  men; 
peace  with  fellow-Christians,  peace  as  to  the  world.  Jesus  is 
the  Prince  of  Peace ;  the  Christian  leaves  all  to  Him.  He 
rests  upon  Him :  '  O  how  shall  I  weather  the  storm ;  how 
shall  I  pass  through  the  deep  waters  V  His  God  is  with  him. 
(Isa.  xliii.  2.)  His  hand  upholdeth  him.  With  St.  Paul  he 
says,  *  I  know  in  whom  I  have  believed,  and  I  am  persuaded 
that  He  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  Him. 
There  is  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  undefiled.  He  is  faithful 
that  promised.'  As  he  commits  personal  concerns  to  God,  so 
also  those  of  his  soul.  This  offers  no  encouragement  to  a 
heedless  walk ;  we  must  commit  our  souls  in  well  doing.  All 
this  privilege  is  holy ;  it  is  only  as  the  Christian  cleaves  to 
God  that  he  knows  this  peace.  Ps.  Ixxxv.  *  I  will  hear  what 
God  the  Lord  will  speak.  He  will  speak  peace  unto  His  people, 
that  they  turn  not  again  to  folly.'  Ps.  Ixxxix.  '  If  my  children 
forsake  my  law,'  &c.,  *  I  will  visit  their  transgressions  with  a 
rod.'     We  are  kept  by  a  continual  act  of  Divine  power;  by  the 


App.  No.V.]  MR.  PRATT'S  MINISTRY.  499 

power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  calming  the  perturbations  of  the  soul. 
The  Spirit  of  Peace  speaks  peace  among  brethren.  The  Holy 
Spirit  restores  and  renews.  The  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and 
shield,  to  revive  and  cheer,  to  protect  and  defend.  There  are 
numberless  causes  of  distress  which  press  upon  the  soul ;  the 
Holy  Spirit  assures  the  heart  under  these,  by  assuring  it  of  the 
Divine  wisdom  and  love,  by  bringing  home  the  assurance  that 
not  a  hair  of  his  head  shall  perish,  by  shewing  him  that  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God.  See 
Aaron,  *  He  held  his  peace ;'  and  Ps.  xxxix.  '  I  was  dumb,'  &c. 
This  peace  is  continued  to  believers  in  the  exercise  of  faith  ; 
not  for  the  merit  of  faith ;  there  is  no  merit  in  faith,  it  is  the 
gift  of  God ;  yet  certain  blessings  are  promised  in  connection 
with  lively  actings  of  faith.  2  Chron.  xiii.  12.  14;  xiv.  11. 
Ps.  Ixxiv.  12—'  O  Lord  God  of  hosts,  blessed  is  the  man  that 
trusteth  in  Thee.'  " 

"III.  The  duty  enjoined.  To  trust  in  the  Lord.  What  is 
the  miserable  state  of  that  man  who  does  not  trust  ?  Almighty 
strength  is  engaged  against  him.  Without  this  dependence 
men  are  driven  to  extremities  leading  to  everlasting  burnings. 
*  *  •  *  '  As  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens,  so  would  I 
gather  you.'  It  is  His  own  invitation  and  command.  Tell  me 
your  state,  and  I  will  give  you  a  promise ;  nay,  further,  tell  me 
your  state,  and  I  will  give  you  a  command.  Every  promise  is 
a  gi'acious  command.  Trust  in  the  Lord  at  all  times  ;  let  no 
time  weaken  or  limit  this  trust.  This  trust  is  founded  on 
Almighty  strength.  He  can  deliver  without  means,  with  means, 
or  contrary  to  means.  The  weakness  or  power  of  enemies  has 
nothing  to  do  with  it." 

"Fragments  of  another  Sermon  from  memory. 

"  '  The  Spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities.'     Rom.  viii.  26. 

"  There  is  one  union  above  all  unions,  *  The  God  Man ;' 
Jesus  Christ,  uniting  in  His  own  person  the  human  nature  with 
the  Divine,  becomes  the  object  of  adoration   to  angels   and 


500  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  [Afp.  No.V. 

saints.     The  next  most   intimate  union  is  that  of  the   Holy 
Spirit  with  tlie  heart  of  the  believer.    Tiiis  gracious  aid  within 
us  is  the  subject  of  the  text.    Hope,  patience,  and  prayer  sustain 
the  life  of  the  soul.    If  we  set  up  idols  in  our  hearts — and  there 
are  multitudes  of  such — we  shall  inevitably  perish.    The  Spirit 
is  the  helper  of  the  Christian.     We  are  children  in  knowledge 
and  grace.     Even  the  father  in  Christ,  in  respect  of  what  he 
will  be,  is  a  child.     Our  infirmities  are  beyond  the  reach  of 
human  help ;  they  are  intended  to  send  us  to  God  in  direct 
prayer.     The  heart  of  our  High  Priest  is  ever  open,  and  his 
hand  open  to  bestow.     Christ's  heart  is  on   earth ;  Chi-ist  is 
your  gracious  guest.     What  is  the  help  afforded?    He  puts  us 
upon  right  petitions  in  a  right  spirit ;  this  is  perfect  prayer. 
The  intercession  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  as  necessary  as  the 
mediation  of  Christ,    What  a  mystery  is  here  !    He  strengthens 
faith  ;  He  places  the  Word  with  power  before  the  mind  ;  He 
quickens  the  affections  ;  He  gives  assurance  of  our  interest  in 
the  Covenant ;   He  directs  the  judgment,  inclines  the  will  to 
acquiesce,  and  keeps  down  the  ever-rising  desires  of  evil.     He 
awakens  holy  desires ;   He  kindles  hope  ;   He  works  patience. 
Hope  and  patience  mutually  strengthen  each  other  ;  '  Ye  have 
need  of  patience.'     He  purifies  the  motives;  He  assures  the 
soul ;  causes  it  to  cry,  Abba,  Father,  in  earnest,  realizing  sense 
of  danger ;  and  by  His  help,  and  support,  and  union,  the  soul 
in  secret  fervent  prayer  finds  every  petition  running  into  praise  ! 
As  to  worldly  concerns,  in  matter  and  in  manner,  the  Spirit 
dictates,  *  Guide  me  with  thine  eye.'     As  to  the  soul's  concerns, 
all  that  is  necessary  for  your  usefulness  on  earth,  or  your  pre- 
paration for  heaven,  will  be  granted ;  but  neither  dictate  the 
time  nor  the  means.     As  to  the  manner  of  asking,  how  closely 
do  our  selfish  motives  cleave  to  us.     Let  us  ask  with  a  single 
eye  to  God's  glory ;   and  then,  and  then  only,  do  we  ask  aright. 
Study  to  have  your  conscience  always  well  informed,  and  then 
without  reluctance  obey  its   dictates.     The  comforts  of  God 
never  come  to  an  unholy  bosom." 


AiT.  No.  v.]  MR.  Pll.\TT'S  MINISTRY.  501 

And  now  this  beloved  pastor  rests  from  his  earthly  labours ; 
but  his  works  follow  him.  His  character  is  wrought  out  in 
that  of  many  now  living ;  the  texts  of  his  sermons,  as  they 
recur,  revive  the  remembrance  of  his  sentiments.  And,  thanks 
be  to  God !  his  place  is  supplied ;  for  the  good  Shepherd  still 
lives,  and  He  never  leaves  His  flock  without  a  witness  for 
Himself.  It  is  thus  He  fulfils  His  own  promise,  *  Lo  !  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.' 

May  this  Memorial  tend  to  gladden  the  hearts  of  devoted 
pastors,  and  to  promote  the  strength  of  the  bond  which  unites 
their  flock  to  such,  till  all  issue  in  a  glorious  union  with  Him 
who  laid  down  His  life  for  the  sheep. 


PRINTED  IJT  WILLIAM  WATTS,  CROWN  COVKT,  TEMFLU  UAH. 


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